


Only a Devil Like You

by wellthizizdeprezzing



Category: Killing Eve (TV 2018)
Genre: Demon AU, Demons and Angels, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fighting, Humor, Medium Burn, Plot Twists, Pranks, Seducing Eve, Some depictions of violence, Villanelle falls for Eve even though she's not supposed to, angel au, featuring Holy Water, identity seeking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:34:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 35,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24981649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellthizizdeprezzing/pseuds/wellthizizdeprezzing
Summary: Villanelle is going to drive Eve to hell, literally.In which Villanelle is a demon sent to convert Eve to the dark side in order to get a job promotion. But Eve might yet teach this old devil some new tricks.
Relationships: Eve Polastri/Villanelle | Oksana Astankova
Comments: 75
Kudos: 323





	1. Promotion

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Ah, a new fic for this fandom. I really need to finish my other ones but I couldn't resist this idea. I hope you enjoy it :)

“Villanelle, how horrible to see you!” Konstantin, Villanelle's handler said jovially, laughing his hearty laugh of his and clapping her on the shoulders. She gave him a tight smile, which he did not seem to notice, before he sat back down behind his desk. It was cluttered with various animal organs in jars of vicious fluid, lined up in neat rows by his left side. On his right side, on the edge of the desk, was a human skull with red candles in it's eye sockets. The candles were lit and the red wax dripped like blood, giving the illusion the skull was crying. He folded his hands on top, the sleeves of his black suit rising a bit to reveal the beginnings of silver chains around his wrists. His flesh sizzled around them, a smell of burnt skin permeating through his office.

Villanelle sat down in the chair in front of him, the expensive human leather crackling under her weight, and gave the suit jacket she was wearing a sharp tug to take out the creases in it. It was red, her favorite color, one she had slathered liberally over her bow shaped lips. Her eyes bounced over his wall décor as they always did, scanning the black wallpaper with red trim and the many paintings of human suffering forever immortalize in oil and canvas. Her favorite one was the one a little off to his head, the one with two humans hanging upside down from a barren tree. It was simple but the horror on their faces and the black background really spoke to her. Her eyes returned to his familiar face. They stared at each other, Villanelle crossing her legs over the other, folding her hands into her lap. “So?” she asked at last, popping up both her brows.

“How have you been?” he asked her, his thick Russian accent nearly slurring his words.

“Terrible. Torturing souls eternally, pitchforking them, you know, the usual,” she said.

“All things I like to hear,” he said, rolling his black leather chair a bit back so he could reach into a metal cabinet. “I hope your corner of hell is working just the way you want it to.”

“Oh sure,” she nodded her head and it was hard to tell if she was being sarcastic or not. “Everyone absolutely hates it.”

He slapped the folder on the top of his desk. Villanelle's hand greedily shot out to touch it. He slapped his huge hand on top of hers. With his other hand he wagged his finger at her, like one does to a child. “Slow down there.”

Villanelle let out a blustery breath but slid her hand out from under his reluctantly.

“The higher ups asked me yesterday if they thought you deserved a promotion.”

At this Villanelle sat up straighter, her eyes shone a bit brighter. “And?”

“I'm getting to it. Let me tell my story,” he set both hands on the file just in case she would make another grab for it. She mimed zipping her lips and throwing away the key.

“You've only been here for four hundred years, but they've noticed your work already. They like your torture methods. Very creative.”

Villanelle made like an 'oh stop' expression but tipped her head to indicate Konstantin should continue complimenting her. “They think you could do more work. More individual stuff. And if you do it right, prove your worth to the 12, you could even get your own personal circle of hell!”

“Really?!” Villanelle exclaimed. She felt so special. Her grin was enormous on her face.

“But don't think it will be so easy to get the spot. What they've asked you to do will be difficult.” He lifted his hands but a fraction off of the folder and quick like a snake, Villanelle's hand darted out to snatch it from him. “Don't worry your little shiny head,” she declared, as she stood up in one smooth motion, and rubbed his graying hair before heading to the door, file in her hand.

Irritated, Konstantin teleported to stand in front of his door, swirling black smoke. “We are not done.”

“We are done,” Villanelle pulled a face and tried to mimic his voice.

“No, we are not,” he raised a stern finger at her.

“Yes, we are,” and then she turned into smoke and slipped through his legs and the bottom crack of the door. She didn't reform until she was back in her part of Hell where she lived. She was given a beautiful villa on a raised hill that overlooked the part of Hell she'd been assigned to. It was a beautiful sight, overlooking the always lit pits where hundreds of damned human souls were being tormented. From 9-5pm she was down there, dressed in an immaculate suit, sleeves rolled up as she came up with new ways to torment them. They always seemed to fear her the most and she ate that fear up. Her favorite was Thom. He'd been a pedophile in his life, never arrested for it because he had money to cover up his obsession. But in Hell he could not buy his way out of his sins.

The squeals and cries of terror were music to her ears. She especially liked the way he pleaded with her each time, begging her not to start the torment, as if she would ever not do that. But she particularly would hurt him. Hurting children or doing anything to them really made her upset and she couldn't reason why. It just did. Children deserved to be cared for and loved not tossed aside and neglected or hurt.

She turned away from the window she been looking over into the ever dark world she resided in, in which it was always night time. Her house was tasteful, decorated, a mix of modern and old fashions that gave it an eclectic feel.

She went to her kitchen to get a snack, passing by her new favorite object she'd gotten- a human head from one of her torture victims. She was keeping it overnight as an new punishment type she was trying out. “Hi Howard. How are you today?”

His wide frightened eyes only stared at her, as his mouth was stuffed full to hold all her kitchen knives. Blood dripped down from the stump of his neck.

“Nice talk,” she smiled at him, before snatching up an apple from the fruit bowl behind him. She went into her office and sat down at her table, setting the file down.

She opened the file to see an Asian woman's profile picture there. It was a candid snapshot, with her looking harried. Her hair was loose and it was curly, tumbling down her shoulders like waves. Villanelle's eyes went wide as she fixated on the hair. It was definitely Villanelle's type. She smiled into her apple. Oh, tempting this woman to eternal damnation would be fun. She caught the woman's name. Eve Polastri. Villanelle smirks on the name Eve. Even more fitting.

Not bothering to read the rest of the file, Villanelle poofed out of Hell to earth, to find this woman.

* * *

“Oh come on!” Eve grunted out as the coffee machine stopped working, letting out a pitiful whine as it stopped halfway to having completed it's task. She needed her coffee! She'd been having a shitty day and she was tired. There were bags under her eyes, she felt enervated, and irritable. Today was not going to be a good day.

In fact, today could go straight to hell, she thought with some viciousness.

She slapped the machine on the side, trying to get it to work again.

Her struggle with it was noted by Kenny who approached her, a cup of take out coffee in his hand. He handed it to her, and she let out a silent 'Thank God' under her breath. “Thought you might need this,” he said. “Hugo broke the machine yesterday evening. We've all been suffering because of him.”

“How did he even break the coffee machine?” Eve asks, taking a grateful sip of the coffee. Instantly, she feels her irritation melt away. The world seems like a brighter, better, place.

Kenny shrugs. “Probably tried to have sex with it.”

Eve lets out a sharp bark of laughter. They all know about Hugo's penchant for sexual activities. “I wouldn't be surprised if he did that. I don't think he has anything that would turn him off.”

“Everything is a fetish,” Kenny comments off handidly as they both look on to see Hugo in his cubicle, headset on as he talks to someone, all the while surfing porn unabashedly.

Eve and Kenny go to their cubicles, not wanting to get caught talking. Their boss is strict and demanding of good work. Which is why Eve had stayed up so late to finish her piece, that and her nightmares of which she had many. Maybe she should see a doctor about them?

She rubbed her forehead as she sat back down at her desk, clicking open her files and checking what she had to edit today. Friday's were usually more lenient days. They spent time polishing up the paper rather than writing for it. Carolyn approved everything at the end and unless there were mistakes, the weekend was pretty much free to relax and hang out.

“Aubrey's after work today?” Bill stands up from the cubicle in front of Eve's, propping his elbows on the divider as he asks. Eve doesn't look up at him, typing in her work credentials. It's only three pm right now. She's tired, and doesn't feel like going out. “Give the coffee some time to start working it's magic and I'll think about it.”

“It's karaoke night,” he waggles his brows. “And someone promised me last time they would help me sing Wrecking Ball.”

Eve lets out a playful scoff. “I was drunk when I said that. Drunk promises don't count.”

“They count in my book,” Bill tsked. “Get your work done. I'll pay for drinks.”

He's tempting her, but she's always been bad with saying no to temptations. “Alright. But only for an hour.”

Bill smiles and sits back down. They both know she always says that every time they go out, only for them to get back at four in the morning, too drunk to know left from right.

* * *

Finding Eve isn't too hard to do. The files had specified she had worked at Martens News for the past decade or so. It must be an awfully dreary job. Villanelle lounges on the bench outside the tall and gray, drab building, eating a banana. Her eyes watch the door, expecting Eve to come out at any time. It's almost the end of the work day. Villanelle had arrived here, scoped out the area a couple hour before and then taken to sitting and waiting here.

No one else saw her, and she had fun terrifying the people who thought the bench was empty only to sit on her lap and get shoved off to the floor. The confusion and shock on their faces was so priceless and she couldn't help but howl in laughter. That laughter only terrified the people and sent them sprinting for the hills.

Villanelle didn't usually employ her ability to be invisible to the public eye. It was because her outfits were so devastatingly good that it was a shame to not have them been seen or noted by others. This time, however, she didn't want Eve to see her before Villanelle had a chance to make them accidentally bump into each other.

And she had picked the perfect outfit for this too. A double breasted wool blazer over a button up shirt, and paired to white trousers that fell above her ankles. It was an all white outfit which would make her stand out and which would also make Eve think Villanelle was clean cut and innocent. The language of colors was just as important as using body language, and Villanelle was a master of both.

Though she hadn't had to seduce anyone in a long time, especially not in the human realm, she had enjoyed flirting with the other lower level demons and messing around with them. Nadia had been her favorite. For a demon she could be so oblivious and easily manipulated.

And she was so eager to please in bed.

Villanelle checked her watch. It was ten minutes after six. Where was Eve? As soon as she thought that, the door opened and Eve came out with an older man by her side. Villanelle's eyes lit up as she spotted the Asian woman. Her curly hair was so beautiful. Like ink, that Villanelle wanted to slide her hands into and wretch that head to the side, either violently to smash against a wall, or to draw out a husky moan as Villanelle licked a path down Eve's neck.

Eve was talking animatedly with her friend and Villanelle hopped up from her seat, hands in pockets and followed them, down the sidewalks of London. It was less busy in this part of town, so Villanelle didn't worry about losing sight of them.

She mindlessly tuned into their conversation, finding it mundane and boring. They talked about work, about Bill's family, yadda yadda. She stifled a yawn. The only thing keeping her going was the feel of the hunt. She loved it, the feeling of being an apex predator hunting down the small and weak prey without them even knowing it.

She could be patient. She _would_ be patient.

“Eve, have you been sleeping better?” Bill asked in concern.

“Not really. The nightmares keep me up when the work doesn't.”

“That's not good. You can't keep living on naps and coffee, Eve.”

“I know. But they'll go away. They always do.”

“And they always return,” he added on.

Nightmares? Villanelle's lips quirk up. Maybe she can use that to her advantage in turning Eve evil. So many possibilities with corrupting others. It's so much fun! And she wants to do her best. Torturing human souls in the pits of Hell is fun, but it can get tedious and predictable. She hurts them, they scream, day in and day out. It was why she'd started taking artistic liberties with her work. But this....seducing those to evil, is such a juicy path full of unending possibilities. Something tells her she'll be able to ace this promotion sooner than thought.

Bill and Eve turn a corner and head to a bar. Oh, this should make things even easier. Smiling gleefully, she enters the dingy bar and takes up stock near one of the corners, keeping an eye on Eve and Bill so she can find the right moment to jump in.

* * *

Eve has lost track of how many beer's she's had. Too many, that's for sure, if the heavy feeling in her stomach, or her sloppy movements are any indication. But she's having too much fun with Bill, belting out karaoke music with Bill. She's aware she's singing out of tune but she doesn't care. The bar's music muffles most of her singing anyways.

When she and Bill finish up the song, the two of them in stitches, they get off the stage. It's getting late now. “One more round?” Bill asks and the bar is noticeably more empty than before. Happens, when it's nearly two am.

“Singing or drinking?” she questions.

“Both,” he waggles his brows and she laughs and slaps his arm. She knows what he's trying to do. Tire her out so she can get some sleep. It works most of the time and she appreciates that he doesn't try to shove his help down her throat openly. She'd get very mad if he did.

“I'll get the drinks this round. What do you want?”

“Whatever is still on tap,” he says, stumbling over to a table to wait for her.

She goes to get drinks, waiting to flag down a bartender. The one on duty is busy flirting with some woman so she waits impatiently, half tempted to throw the limes behind the counter at him to get him to come over here and do his job.

As she's waiting, a woman slides up next to her, all casual like. Eve barely looks at her, all her focus on the bartender, as if by staring at him, he'll come sooner.

“Struggling to get a drink?” a pleasant British tone asks her and she half looks at the woman before turning back away. She can make out white clothing and feminine hands with gold rings on them, placed on the sticky counter top.

Eve doesn't respond.

The person behind her lets out a disgruntled sigh that Eve barely registers. “Watch this,” she says and moves away. Eve sees her back making way to the bartender, forcing herself by the side of the woman he's flirting with. Instantly, his eyes fall to her and Eve squints through her beer goggles to try and make sense of what she looks like. She says something to him and then he's coming over to serve them both, the woman making way back to Eve to.

Now she's closer by and Eve finally looks at her. She's beautiful. She's wearing a suit that fits her so well, and that looks too expensive to be worn here. Her eyes are cat-like, focused and not entirely there. Her face is fine boned, with thick arching brows and full lips. Her hair is honey blonde and loose around her shoulders.

“See, got him to come,” the mystery person said, hands in pockets of her trousers, and extremely cocky. “I could do that to anyone.”

That could vaguely be an innuendo, but Eve has had too much to drink to try to decipher this. “Uh, thanks.” She turns to the bartender to order when the woman orders for her. “Two IPA's and a Rose wine, on me.”

Eve closes her mouth and turns to the woman. Is she...trying to hit on her? She doesn't know how to respond. She's never had this happen to her.

The woman shrugs. “I figured I'd pay you back for the wonderful show you gave. You and your friend have quite the passion for singing.”

Eve is not convinced. “Uh huh. Really?” she asks sardonically.

The woman nods her head. “I'm serious. It's refreshing to see someone enjoying karaoke.”

“You don't enjoy it?” Eve decides to humor the woman.

The woman shrugs; the drinks arrive. Eve takes a fortifying sip of her drink. “It takes a lot to go up there and sing with so much confidence when having no talent,” she wrinkles up her nose playfully and Eve scoffs. She's not in the mood for this teasing. Not from a stranger.

“I'm glad my horrible singing can amuse you,” Eve says, taking the beer and going back to Bill. The woman doesn't follow her, and she doesn't take her drink, just watching Eve walk away.

“What took so long,” Bill asks as he takes the beer from her.

“Bartender was busy.”

Bill looks over her shoulder to the near empty bar. “With who?”

Eve refuses to look back. “Not important.”

“What song should we sing next?” he suggests.

“I think I'm done after this. I'm starting to feel tired.”

“Okay,” he says quietly and they finish their drinks in peace.

* * *

Villanelle sighs in exhaustion. That first impression could have gone better. She knew Eve liked banter; she'd done a lot of it with Bill on the way over to the bar. So why hadn't she risen to the occasion when Villanelle had tried to banter with her?

She frowned. Maybe this would be a smidgen more challenging than she thought.

She disappears once more from human view and stays at the bar, analyzing Eve. The way she moves; her little ticks. The inflection of her voice. The way she shifts in reaction to conversation topics. She tends to fiddle with her hair a lot and Villanelle isn't surprised. If she had amazing hair like that she would do it too.

She followed Eve back home, chuckling to herself as the drunken woman stumbled to her house, dropped her house keys when trying to open the door, and then struggled to undress to get into bed.

Once Eve was asleep, Villanelle took the chance to go around the house and rearrange things just a fraction off because she knew it would annoy Eve in the morning. And the keys, she dropped behind a potted plant. Eve would have an adventure looking for them. Villanelle was here to seduce Eve into evil but that didn't mean she couldn't have some fun at her expanse too. All work and no play would not make a happy Villanelle.

Then, she teleported herself back home. She needed a nice bath, and to plan a strategy on how best to seduce Eve.


	2. Just Your Friendly Neighborhood Demon

Eve woke up with a groan. She was tired and her voice was sore from all that singing last night. But she has no one to blame but herself. She slides out of bed, going to the bathroom to splash water on her face and then go down to the kitchen to get a tablet to help with the headache she has. She takes a glass of water from the sink and swallows the tablet down. Waiting for it to kick in, she goes to the couch and flicks on the TV at a low volume.

It's her job to be on top of current news and frankly it can get downright depressing. But as she's scanning anything noteworthy for the paper for next week, she notices something from the corner of her eye. Why is her painting for a lotus flower hanging slightly crooked? Had she bumped into it while drunk? But she doesn't remember doing so. She gets up and fixes it so it's hanging straight.

And then she notices her flowers are upside down in her vase on the stand right next to her painting. Frowning, she flips them the right side up. What the heck? Had she done this? But why? And then she starts noticing the other things that are wrong. It's almost like a chain reaction. Notice one thing wrong and suddenly it just keeps going. Her towels are hanging with the embroidery inside out. Her microwave has the door left open. Her kettle is in the kitchen sink, even though she knows she scrubbed it yesterday. And her shoes which she tossed haphazardly when drunk, are neatly hung up on the coat rack and her coat is on the floor.

“What the fuck,” she whispers to herself. Seriously. What is going on?

She has a sneaking suspicion someone fucked with her, but who? Had it been Bill? Had he snuck into her house afterwards? But why would he? She goes to pick her phone up where she left it in the hallway with her key ring in a small bowl. The phone is there, but her keys are missing.

“Fucking shit,” she curses and that is how on a Saturday morning, partially hung over, Eve spends nearly the full day tearing her house apart for her keys.

She stops when there's a ringing on her doorbell and she jerks it open to find Elena and Bill on the other end. Her rough yanking on the door and the way she must look have them startled and concerned.

“Babe, what is going on?” Elena asks.

“I lost my house keys,” Eve says, smoothing back her hair from how it's standing up. Then she squints her eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“We texted you that we were coming over. Don't you remember? We made plans Monday?” Bill supplies and Eve nods her head. She had forgotten. She looks down at her ratty pjs and the slippers on her feet.

“Um, come in. I just need a moment,” she says.

“Sure, take all the moments you need....” Elena says when she comes in and sees furniture moved around. “Redecorating?” she calls after Eve whose going up the stairs.

“No. Looking for my keys.” Then she slams the door to her bedroom shut as she gets ready. She comes down ten minutes later and looking more presentable. Elena is sitting on Eve's armchair which is now pushed up against the wall and Bill is on the kitchen stool because the couch is upside down.

“Are you alright?” he asked without judgment.

“Like I said, keys, gone!” she raised her hands in the air.

“We could go out, get lunch there instead of at your place.”

Eve looks at Elena who quickly corrects herself. “Right. Keys. Let's help look?” she turns to Bill. The three of them search the whole house.

“Do you think you maybe lost them on the street?” Bill asks as he bends down to check the book shelf which he most certainly thinks does not have keys.

“No. You walked me home and watched me go inside. Obviously I had the keys!” she calls back, furious enough to kick her house plant just because.

“What if you took it to the bathroom and flushed it down the loo?” Elena suggests, looking through the fridge. She goes through some deli meats, most certainly not finding the keys there but helping herself to some.

Eve huffs and looks down and sees her keys. Having been dropped in the dirt of her plant. “Are you fucking serious,” she grumbles to herself and pulls them up, jangling for all to hear.

“Thank god,” Elena murmurs. “I was thinking I would starve in here, searching for those damned keys.”

“I didn't put them here. I have no idea how they got here,” Eve says.

Bill waves his hand, dismissing this. “Let's eat.”

* * *

Villanelle watches Eve eat. You can learn a lot about a person based on how they eat. If they eat hunched over, hand low on the fork, then they've been afraid of having their food snatched from them as a child. They had to fight for their meals or their meals were never assured so they learned to eat quickly, protectively.

If they sit up poised, stiff, using a fork and knife for everything, then it's obvious they've been raised somewhere manners mean a lot, where illusion is everything.

Eve doesn't eat like those two ways. She eats nervously. Picking at the bread that comes with her sandwich. Or picking at the bits of lettuce sticking out from between the bun. It seems Villanelle has rattled her more than she thought she would with that little prank.

It was a shame she couldn't be there for the full duration of it, but she'd had to juice Desmond's head in the morning for his sins, before coming up. She did see the mess of a house left behind by Eve and that had given her all the enjoyment she'd needed, though no doubt it would have been more amusing to see it in real time.

Villanells is hidden from human senses once more, and she stands leaning against the wall, hands in pockets and left foot tipped over slightly over a raised curb that has a 'watch the step' sign taped on it. Every time someone approaches it, they raise their foot to step over it, only to trip on her foot. She snickers each time it happens, the person giving a wild look before muttering about the curb and walking off to order their drink or whatever garbage shit humans stuffed their flabby faces with.

Eve sits a little ways from Villanelle, facing her and with Elena and Bill around her, all enjoying their late lunch. Villanelle needs to plan how best to approach Eve. They'd met at a bar last night, so it would be too soon to 'bump' into her. Villanelle would have to wait. Probably a day or two. And then find some good spot they could bump into each other in order to have an actual conversation.

And Villanelle would bring all her charm to the chance encounter.

This would be so fun! She'd forgotten how fun living humans were.

* * *

After a filling lunch, in which Eve internally stewed about the keys, she decided to go back home, and fix up her house. She had left it a mess, all because she couldn't find her keys earlier. She knew it wasn't her fault they were there, and she knew it wasn't a trick of Bill's. He would have been too drunk to sneak into her house and mess with her stuff all while being quiet.

She spends some time fixing up her place before she settles in for a take out dinner and a book by the light of her lamp. Saturday passes in dull normalcy. Sunday she wakes up hangover free and has a good hearty breakfast before she decides to do some grocery shopping. She doesn't do much cooking around the house but she never knows when she'll be in the mood for some sauteed fish, or want a snack that isn't a banana and some dry nuts. Besides, her fridge is strangely empty. She swore she had more food in it.

She puts on some sneakers and takes the Tube to go across town to her favorite shop. “Hello Gregory,” she greets the shop owner whose by the entrance, sticking up a poster about some new produce promotion he has.

“Hello Miss Eve,” he says in a thick Russian accent. “How are you today?”

“Good, good,” she says and enters. She takes her time selecting the goods she wants and putting the ones with the best deals into her cart. She checks out and is leaving with a paper bag full of groceries when the overcast sky has the audacity to open up and rain.

And it's not just a light drizzle. It's a downright torrential downpour that catches her. The few people that are about scatter to the ten winds and she's about to duck under an awning and try to wait this out, when the bottom of her paper bag gives and all her groceries come falling out.

One can rolls off the sidewalk and onto the street, the bread falls in a puddle, the oranges scatter to the four winds and Eve just looks in dismay as her hair sticks to her face.

“Are you fucking kidding me-?” she groans out. She feels like being the loaf of bread- just falling down into a puddle and dissolving there.

She's suddenly made aware that the rain has stopped hitting her harshly and that the sky above her is now orange instead of gray. It's an umbrella. Some blessed soul is holding an umbrella for her. She turns under it and see's its a young woman. She's a good five inches taller than her; Eve has to look up to match her eyes. They're cat like and very somber looking but for the spark of something hidden deep inside.

Her outfit seems to match the umbrella, a black suit with an orange button up and an orange lipstick that is on quirked lips. She's also standing too close, Eve realizes, which is why she's able to see her in such detail. She backs up, feeling like she can breath more.

“It's a right pain in the arse, isn't it?” the woman says, holding the large umbrella over both their heads. Eve swears this woman just came out of nowhere, but she's grateful she did.

“Yea, um, terrible. All my shopping went to shit,” she chuckles in self deprecation, gesturing around her.

“Yes, well, we can't win all the battles with mother nature,” said the woman and Eve blinks at her. Doesn't she look familiar? No, Eve must be imagining things. “Do you need an escort somewhere? I can share my umbrella with you and walk you there till the rain stops.”

“Um, actually that would be nice. I'm just going to the Tube,” Eve says, jerking her thumb in the direction of it. She debates if she should try to pick up her food but decides against it. This woman is well off and Eve would hate to come off as desperate and poor. She'll just contend herself with her loss.

“Me too!” the woman says cheerfully. “Shall we?” and they head off together, walking side by side. The woman holds the umbrella up high and slows down her pace so Eve can match her. The walk is awkward at first. Eve doesn't know this woman and she doesn't know if they should talk about something or anything of that sort. But she shouldn't worry, the woman seems to be a chatter box.

“It was lucky I found you when I did!” the woman says as they make way around puddles carefully. “I wasn't even going to take an umbrella today but I decided to do so for some reason. It was like I knew.”

“Mm, lucky,” because Eve doesn't know what to comment.

“Normally where I work we take cars to go home, instead of taking the Tube, but I like taking the train. I'm kinda of a traveler. I like going new places, meeting new people. How about you?”

“I used to be big on travel. But then I got old,” Eve says, a touch wistfully.

“Ha!” the woman laughs, and it's so abrupt that Eve startles at it, looking the woman over. The woman quickly corrects herself so as not to come off as rude. “You are not old. You are still young.”

“Thank you?” Eve says, not sure if this is a compliment or not.

“If you could travel still, where would you go?” They wait at a crosswalk. They're almost at the station.

Eve shrugs. “Somewhere peaceful. Quiet. Clean. Maybe surrounded by nature.” She knows just the place she wants, but it will be out of her reach and has been for many years. But she doesn't divulge this with the woman. “What about you?”

“I like hot places,” the woman answers. “It's always nice weather there and I can work on a tan.”

Eve gives a not so discreet look at the woman's pale skin. The woman catches onto the meaning of the look. “I did say I would work on it, not that I would build on my tan,” she points out with a grin and Eve shakes her head, amused.

The woman snaps her umbrella shut; they've arrived. They head into the tunnels, the smell of the Tube greeting them. It's a stifled smell, a hint of rotting from leftover garbage trapped in sunless environments. They pay for the tickets and then leave to wait on the station. “Which line are you taking?” the woman asks.

“Baker's,” Eve answers.

“Wow, me too!” the woman laughs. “Are you by any chance living in the same neighborhood as I am?”

“Which one would that be?”

“Dullhurst?”

Eve blinks, astounded. “That is the same neighborhood.”

“Talk about small world, huh,” the woman offers. She's got her umbrella swung over her arm by the handle, careful to keep the drip away from Eve's feet. Not that it would matter, all of Eve is drenched and it's become uncomfortably stiff in that way when clothing is beginning to dry and stick to the skin. She can't wait to go home and shower. “I can't believe we haven't bumped into each other there before. I did recently move in, so maybe we'll see each other at some point.”

“Probably,” Eve says, mind half on the conversation. She really wants to change out of her clothes. The train arrives with a screech and they get on. It's only a couple of stops but they feel like forever. Funny how that always is when Eve is impatient to do something.

“Have you been in London for long?” the woman asks. “I couldn't help but notice you don't have an accent.”

“Oh, that. I uh, moved here about a decade ago. I was born in Connecticut but when my parents divorced I decided to move with my father to England. He stayed in the countryside while I moved closer to the hub.”

“And you never picked up the accent?” the woman asks. They're standing closer than they should given the train isn't really packed. Eve takes another step back. This woman really doesn't understand personal space.

“No, I guess not.”

They continue making small talk before finally their stop is here. They follow a small group of people up the stairs and into a bright sunny day. Eve stares up at the sky in disbelief. It's like God hates her especially on this day. She is tempted to point a middle finger at the sky and flip it off but she refrains from doing so.

“Uh, thank you. For the umbrella escort,” Eve says and the woman nods her head.

“No problem. Have a good rest of the day, Eve. And see you around,” the woman raises her hand in goodbye and leaves. Eve heads in the opposite direction to go home. Once there, she strips off of her clothes and relaxes under the hot water.

Her eyes slip closed and she massages her hair.

All of sudden her eyes shoot right open as she remembers something.

The woman had called her Eve.

How the hell did she know her name?

* * *

Saturday had ended up boring. Eve hadn't done much after her lunch outing with friends and Villanelle had laid, bored, on the couch Eve had propped up the right way. One hand keeping her head up, Villanelle had watched Eve read a book. Normally she wouldn't mind staring at the beautiful woman, but this wasn't helping much with progressing Villanelle's plan. She needed Eve to leave the house so they could bump into each other.

Tapping a finger to her chin, she comes up with a plan which she waits on until Eve is asleep. Then, she raids Eve's fridge and takes most of the food items there before she bundles them up in a bag and tosses them in the rubbish. There, that should inspire in Eve a trip to the store.

The fruits of Villanelle's slight labor paid off. Villanelle, having dressed up nicely for their second meeting, sat on Eve's couch in her house and watched as the woman decided to go get food. Villanelle kept her company on the journey over, at least three feet away from her. She practically skipped through the store as Eve picked her stuff up. This was exciting! Villanelle really hoped that Eve would be wowed by her outfit. She put a lot of effort into it.

Occasionally Villanelle would wrinkle her nose up at the food that Eve was picking up. Ugh, humans really did have awful eating habits, didn't they? Maybe Villanelle could get Eve with gluttony? Have the woman be treated to amazing food until she couldn't stop eating it.

Villanelle pulled a face. No, she wouldn't want to ruin Eve's body with such things. It was too amazing for that. Gluttons often ended up horrendously overweight. And while they were fun to poke around in hell with pitchforks like popping a bubble, or fun to use as kindling to keep the eternal fires of damnation burning, inciting true gluttony as a sin in someone was hard and incredibly boring. It could take years of bad eating habits and Villanelle didn't want this to take years. She wanted quick results.

Wrath? That would be a fun one. Usually it meant goading the victim into killing lots of others, or committing heinous acts of violence. But that also could take a lot of time, especially since Eve seemed like the kind type. The calm type. So the crazy route was off the table. Though it was a pity. Those with wrath relived their crimes but as the victims of the event. Talk about unparalleled justice.

Lust. That was a viable option and one Villanelle would only be too eager to try. It meant seducing Eve into sleeping with a demon, which was kinda a major sin. And seduction could be used to manipulate Eve into doing other more horrible things, all for the sake of 'love'. And it was definitely the most hands on approach. Villanelle would enjoy it immensely and she'd make sure Eve would too. She was a gentleman about her seduction. It was more...intriguing that way.

During her musing, Eve finishes the shopping and they both step outside. Villanelle snaps her fingers and it begins to pour. And on top of that, she makes Eve's bag fail. She watches in glee as the woman openly despairs over this. It's Villanelle's cue to swoop in like a knight in shining armor.

She stays with Eve until they reach their mutual neighborhood. Villanelle tries to be open and engaging but Eve's not really feeling this conversation. Which, fair, she supposes as Villanelle is just a stranger to her at this point.

They bid ways, and Villanelle goes invisible and doubles back to check up Eve before she goes home. She wasn't lying about having moved to the neighborhood. She figured it'd be better if she spent more time in the human world to ace this promotion as quickly as possible.

She comes in and doesn't find Eve on the bottom floor. She goes up, and hears the water running. So, she leaves the house. She may be a demon, but even she has standards and won't stoop to spying on Eve in the shower. No matter how tempting it might be. She goes back to her house, opening the door and whistling as she steps over the just starting to decay corpse of the previous owner. She really did have to get rid of it at some point. But, it did add to the décor.

In fact, this whole place needed some redecoration. There were dolls everywhere, lining the shelves, the walls, and the furniture had little dollies on the edges. It offended her tastes. She took off her blazer and rolled up the sleeves of her orange shirt. Time to make some magic work.


	3. Commotion

It's only a Thursday night, but Eve has a headache from work. She has been dealing with shenanigans the whole time and it really drained a lot from her. Hugo kept throwing sexual remarks at her, which honestly was getting old at this point. How many times could a person say no until the other person got it? The coffee machine was still broken, and the printer and copier had followed suite in a weird machine solidarity. Carolyn had been on her ass about a piece that she needed to perfect down to the minute word. Eve had to handle phone calls with unpleasant assholes to get the piece published later, and Bill was gone on one of the days. She had no one to complain to without having to cross the divide and risking getting caught by Carolyn who didn't believe breaks were a thing.

So, she decides a quick trip to the liquor store in the evening is just what she needs to make this hard week better. She heads directly over to the wine section, perusing the multitude of offerings set before her.

She doesn't notice the person in the same aisle as her, approaching her steadily like a shark in water who has smelled blood. 

* * *

Villanelle had timed this perfectly. And as usual, had dressed up perfectly. She was wearing a suit with geometric patterns on it. Fun and unforgettable. And her hair was back in a braided ponytail.

“Looking for some wine to unwind? Me too,” Villanelle throws in a chuckle at the end as if this was a casual event and not something planned.

Eve jerks her head and notices who it is. Recognition and something else flash in her eyes. “Oh, hi.”

“There's so many wines it's sometimes hard to decide.” Villanelle jostles her wine basket which already has two bottles inside she had tossed at random.

“Yea,” Eve says unhelpfully.

Villanelle curses on the inside. Why did Eve always give her nothing to work with? Would Villanelle have to pull all the weight in this relationship?

She stuck out her hand. “I don't think I've told you my name. I'm Villanelle-”

“How did you know _my_ name?” Eve says, serious. She cuts off Villanelle who closes her mouth and then reopens it, confused.

“What?” Ah shit, this isn't good.

“That day, when it rained. You escorted me to the train and when we left you said bye. But you said my name. I never told you my name.”

Villanelle looks shocked but then laughs. For a second she had been really worried, but her mind had worked over time. She's got a solution. She turns back to her cool, confident self. “Ah, Eve. You really don't remember me?”

Now Eve is confused. “What?”

“We met before that. At a bar. Aubrey's?” Villanelle offers up hopefully. “You don't remember me from there?”

Eve shakes her head. “No, I don't. Should I?”

Villanelle scoffs now, and it's not hard to see she's becoming offended. “I bought you your drinks as a thank you for your wonderful performance. So I would hope you'd at least remember my face. It's a beautiful face, is it not?”

Eve doesn't know to which part of that to respond so she doesn't, instead walking away. Villanelle grabs her by the upper arm out of reflex and is intrigued to see a spark of annoyance in Eve's eyes as the woman turns around quickly and shakes off Villanelle's hold. So maybe she's not as kind hearted or calm as originally thought.

Not only that, but had that been muscle tone that Villanelle felt under Eve's thick sweater? “It's fine. I'm not upset,” she said. “You were very drunk.”

“I wasn't that drunk that I would just give out my name to a random person I met,” Eve said, meeting Villanelle's eyes straight on. Villanelle felt a chill go down her back at how unafraid Eve was of standing up for herself. She had a backbone. Would be all that much more fun to break under Villanelle's practiced touch.

She could already imagine it, Eve under her on bed, begging her to fuck her, to go harder. Becoming completely beholden to Villanelle's lips and fingers, saying she'd do anything to feel them. “You didn't tell me your name,” Villanelle said, coming out of her mini daydream. “But your friend Bill and you were quite loud,” she said pointedly.

Eve frowns. “Hm, that sounds more like what would happen.”

Villanelle arches a brow. “So, am I off the hook now?”

Eve snorts. “You were never on the hook so to speak. I just...I'm a private person. And I don't like to get close to others,” she said, her defensiveness scaling down now that the unexplainable had been explained, and returning to normal as she looked back at the shelf of wines, continuing her perusal of it.

“I totally get that,” Villanelle raises her hands in a partial shrug. “I used to be the same way, until I picked up some fighting skills and now I fear more for those who try to start fights with me, rather than fear for myself.”

“Fighting?” Eve gives a Villanelle a once over that's not discreet at all. She probably sees Villanelle's tall but feminine body and doesn't suspect it's more dangerous than it actually is. Considering she is a demon after all and could snap a person in half with her hand alone.

“Yes. Judo, kendo, muay tai. I picked up several styles. It's quite helpful when keeping in shape and keeping me sane when I have to deal with those horrid people at my job. I just imagine using my moves on them and the day is more bearable.”

Eve offers up a half smile at that, picking up a bottle and checking the label on the back. “Don't we all know assholes at work.”

“I could teach you some,” Villanelle offers and can see it on Eve's face the rejection swelling up so she quickly interjects. “Ah, right. Moving too fast; we're strangers. I rescind my offer. But, if you did want to make it up to me for not remembering me from the bar, you could go and have a drink with me. I don't know anyone in the neighborhood yet and I was hoping to have a friendly face around.”

Eve looks at Villanelle, truly trying to assess her. “But if I'm drunk again, how will you have any confidence I'll remember you? Maybe I'll forget again?”

Villanelle can't help the laugh that bursts out of her. Eve always brings that out from her. “But now you know who I am, pre-drunk, so surely, you won't just forget when you drink.”

“I suppose not,” Eve murmurs.

“Alright then, a drink it is,” Villanelle confirms with a nod of her head before plucking up a bottle of Rose from three shelves above Eve's reach. “You'll want to drink this one.” She holds it out to Eve. “It's affordable and sweet. But very high in alcohol content.”

With that, she leaves and Eve holds one red and one rose in her hand each, weighing her options. Should she take Villanelle's word for it? Or should she go out on a limb and try this bottle of red? In the end she takes the Rose.

She pays for it and goes home, and when she opens it up, she ruminates over the fact on how Villanelle did not give Eve her number, or her address, or anyway to contact her. “Huh, a toast to being forgetful,” she says to herself and downs the glass, toasting for both her and Villanelle's actions.

* * *

It's Saturday morning that Eve sees Villanelle again. Eve's out for a morning stroll to get some fresh air and she quite nearly bumps into Villanelle who is jogging. She's wearing a sports bra and shorts and Eve does have to admit, seeing the muscle tone on her upper arms and lower legs indicates she might just actually know several martial arts skills.

“Oh sorry,” Villanelle apologizes before she recognizes who it is. “Eve? How nice to see you!”

“Hi Villanelle,” Eve says more calmly.

Villanelle pulls out one of her headphones. Eve can make out rock music blasting from it. “It's a good thing I ran into you. I forgot to give you my number so we could go get a drink!”

“Yes, you did.”

“Do you mind if we exchange numbers?” Villanelle asks cordially.

“No, it's alright,” Eve pulls out her phone and they exchange numbers.

“When would you free? How about tonight?” Villanelle asks and Eve thinks back on her plans for today.

“I don't think I have anything.”

“Excellent,” Villanelle grabs Eve's upper arms in an excited clasp. “I'll text you.” And then she's putting her airpod back in and running off.

Eve looks after her as she runs. Damn, maybe Eve should run too. She wants an ass like that.

They do end up making plans for the evening. Eve doesn't have anything better to do and she could use some good wine. The one Villanelle had recommended her was excellent so she'd let the woman pick out other drinks for her too.

She didn't bother dressing up; What was the point? It was just a bar. Eve arrived a bit early only because there was nothing to make her late. She went inside and after texting Villanelle what she wanted to drink, ordered two of those drinks.

She was sipping on hers, scrolling through the news feed on her phone when a soft throat clearing brought her attention up to Villanelle. She expected Villanelle to dress up as per norm. The woman seemed to never have a shortage of suits to wear. And today she was wearing a light pink suit, opened up to reveal a floral shirt in pinks, yellows, and blues. Her hair was in a low ponytail.

“I see you've gotten started without me,” she teased. Eve was halfway through her glass.

“Well, maybe if someone didn't come late,” she poised and Villanelle chuckled.

“I came exactly on time. You were early. Eager?” she asked, sliding into the free stool by Eve.

“Just really thirsty,” Eve said, mimicking something Villanelle had said when they first met, not that she remembered of course. Villanelle did but let it slide.

“I'm glad you enjoy the wine. There's so many more amazing ones out there that you need to experience.”

“I'm not really one for trying new things. But, I suppose I could be tempted to with the right persuasion.”

“Oh, I am really good at persuading,” Villanelle said with a cheeky grin.

“Hm?” Eve challenged, taking a hearty sip.

“I bet I could get you to do something silly.”

“Like what?”

“Like, kissing that man over there,” she pointed at a man sitting lonesome on the stool.

“Not my type, so I'd saw no,” Eve gave him a cursory look, disinterested.

“What if I bought you a drink to do it?”

“No.”

“Gave you money?”

“No.”

“You drive a hard bargain,” Villanelle scrunched up her nose. “What _is_ your type?”

The question stalls Eve. What is her type? She hasn't been with anyone in years. Not even to go on a date. Was that sad? But she just never felt the need for it. “I...I don't actually know.”

“Then let's discover it,” Villanelle said. “Do you like people with a great sense of humor?”

Eve considered. “They have to understand my humor, that's for sure. I couldn't talk to someone whose...boring.”

Villanelle nodded her head, like she was checking off some mental checklist. “Do they have to have a great sense of fashion?”

“They have to know about how to dress. Lord knows I don't pay much attention to it. So it would be nice if they cared about their appearance.”

“Do they have to be smart?”

“Yes. They need to be able to hold up in conversation with me.” Eve shook her head at the end. “Are you just getting me to underhand compliment you?”

Villanelle pulls an innocent face. “What are you talking about? I am totally not listing things about myself.”

“Alright, miss conceited, tell me what's your type then.” Eve finished off her glass. She kept the empty glass clutched in her hand so to have something occupy her hands.

“I do enjoy women,” Villanelle said straight away. “Women with amazing hair.”

“And?” Eve goes on.

Villanelle's eyes sparkle with mirth. “Oh, are you hoping I'll underhandidly compliment you?”

“I just thought you would have more standards. You seem like the type of person who knows what they want.”

“I do. If I want something I am very focused and nothing will get in my way of wanting it,” Villanelle said, gulping down the rest of her drink as slow music began to play in the bar. The dancers that had been on the dance floor slowed down. “Let's dance. This is my favorite song,” Villanelle said and pulled Eve by her hand to the dance floor.

“Oh, I don't- I don't dance,” Eve protested but Villanelle had already dragged them to the dance floor.

“It's okay, you can just follow my lead,” Villanelle said and tugged Eve to her, putting a hand on her waist and holding Eve's hand in her other. She set a rhythm for them. Eve awkwardly shuffled along. She had no sense of the beat and to distract herself from her terrible moves, she started asking questions. “You never told me what you do.”

“I'm a lawyer.”

“The suits make sense now,” Eve nodded her head like she had solved a huge mystery. “But how do you have free time to do anything? I heard lawyers are too busy ruining others lives.”

Villanelle let a secretive smile cross her lips. “Not that I don't enjoy being evil 24/7 but sometimes I like different fun interspersing my days. I can't get all my joys from crushing human souls in the court room.”

Eve laughed at this. “You are so odd.”

“That makes two of us.” A beat, then, “Your partner must be so happy to have you.”

Eve shakes her head; the song switches to another slow one. Is it her, or did Villanelle shift a bit closer? Maybe it's just the wine making her think this. “I don't have anyone. And I don't need anyone. I'm fine handling myself.”

“Really. I thought someone as amazing as you would have been fought over to be married,” Villanelle complimented.

“Are you always this complimentary?” Eve poised, wondering just what angle it was Villanelle was working at. She knew the blonde said she enjoyed women. With amazing hair. Was she specifically speaking on Eve? Or was she just this flirty with everyone?

“I am charming,” Villanelle said with a shrug. “It is not my fault if everyone is charmed. Are you charmed?” she blinked.

Eve snorts. “You tell me.”

Villanelle tipped her head to the side. Her cat like eyes are wide and assessing. “I think you like me. I think we're going to be good friends.”

And Eve, cannot find a reason to argue this.

* * *

Three weeks. It took three weeks to find a crack in Eve's wall and lodge herself in there, burrowing around and making the cracks bigger until they can finally crack. Villanelle knows it will take more time to get the results she needs.

She plucks up another apple from the fruit bowl in her newly redecorated human house. She crunches into it and doesn't jump or scream when she finds someone sitting in her favorite armchair by the window.

It's some lower level demon with a braid in her hair and wearing combat boots, and a bomber jacket. “Who are you?” Villanelle asks.

“Rhian. I was sent to check up on your progress with Eve Polastri.”

“It's going well.”

“You haven't sent us the detailed reports we need.”

Villanelle really didn't like the entitled way this demon spoke. “Reports are boring. I could spend that time corrupting Eve.”

“It's been three weeks.”

“So,” Villanelle says with a casual shrug as she looks into the mirror on her wall and makes kisses at her reflection. She still looks stunning as usual.

“So you haven't done anything.” Rhian snaps, getting annoyed by Villanelle's insouciance. 

“I have,” Villanelle says defensively. She's still studying her own reflection. She can see Rhian has stood up.

“You haven't.”

“I'm not writing those damn annoying reports. You'll just have to take my word for it.”

“Demon word means nothing.”

“Maybe yours doesn't,” Villanelle turns to look at Rhian and a second later the woman is on her, arm laid across her throat like a bar. Villanelle head snaps back so hard it shatters the mirror and glass falls down around her.

She can feel rage fill her. A terrific rage. This demon dares to do this to her? In her own abode? Who does she think she is?

“Do the reports,” Rhian says and this close Villanelle can smell the sulfur on her that hangs around demons who spend their time too long in the sulfur pits of the seventh ring.

“You broke a mirror,” Villanelle gasps out. The apple in her hand is crushed between her grip into a wet splatter. “That's seven years bad luck for humans.” She arches a brow. “And even worse luck for demons.”

“What?” Rhian spits out, confused.

Villanelle takes her hand, now covered in apple remains and drives it right into Rhian's chest, right where her heart is. Rhian gasps, curling in a bit on herself as if that would keep the hand out. But Villanelle squeezes the heart, Rhian's hands dropping to her side and with a grim look on her face of concentration, Villanelle crushes it like she did with the apple.

Rhian staggers back, shock on her pale face and then she drops to the floor, bleeding from the hole in her chest cavity.

“Disrespectful little shit,” Villanelle growls out, shaking the shards of glass from her hair. Now she has to find a replacement for the very expensive mirror that had been broken, and clean up the body. Inconvenient.

First, she goes to the kitchen to fetch another apple, and the blood on her hand coats it, but barely bothers her at all as she takes a huge crunch out of it.


	4. Holy Fuck

They've been steadily working up to friendship. Normally, Villanelle would be irritated by this. She had little patience for patience. But, she found she enjoyed spending time with Eve. Getting to know her, getting to be around her. There was something about her that was...intoxicating. And Villanelle felt, what was the harm in indulging in it a bit? Now that she had made it clear how she felt about management, she hadn't had any more messengers from Hell sent up to bother her. Instead, they called her on the phone after each week came to an end on a status report. Villanelle would merely say she was doing well and that Eve would be slowly but surely corrupted.

Already it's been a month of them knowing each other and Villanelle is laying on the charm thick. She knows she is very charming. It's only a matter of time before Eve relaxes to her.

“Dinner?” she suggests. “I'd cook. You can come over to my house.”

“Sure,” Eve says as they walk back from the train station together.

“Any food allergies?”

“No. None. I'll eat anything honestly. I barely cook so I'm not picky at all especially to free food.”

“Excellent. I'll cook up a feast then for you.”

“You don't have to.”

“But I want to. It's a crime against humanity to not try the best food out there,” Villanelle said. “And since you don't normally cook and I love cooking, I'd be doing a disservice to myself if I don't get you to try my very delicious creations.”

“If you insist.”

“See you then, tomorrow for a nice home cooked meal.”

“I hope your food is as good as your ego says it is,” Eve leaves in parting and misses the satisfied comment Villanelle makes under her nose. “Nothing can rival my cooking. You will come in your pants Eve.”

* * *

Eve doesn't know what the dress code is for going over to Villanelle's house- and yes, she knows she's being ridiculous. It's just dinner. But it's Villanelle. Eve dresses sometimes for dinner at Bill's and Keiko's. And Villanelle dresses nicely. So Eve decides to settle on smart black pants and a nice sweater. This look says fancy but not too fancy in case it's not a fancy dinner.

Eve makes the ten minute walk over to Villanelle's house. The outside has black siding, with white trim. The small garden in front is well kept. Eve knocks on the door, fixing the bag that has been sliding down her shoulder. She brought a nice wine inside it. It would look bad to come empty handed.

She knocks on the door, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Villanelle opens up. She's wearing an apron that says 'Devilishly Good' on it with a miniature Satan wearing a chef's hat and blowing a kiss.

“Eve, so glad you could come,” Villanelle smiles and the smell of cooking food drifts out and Eve can't help the way her eyes flutter. “Wow.” She breathes out before she realizes she's said it. “Sorry,” she remembers herself when Villanelle arches a brow. “Just, it smells impossibly good inside.”

“I know,” Villanelle says cockily. “It's almost done. But come in, make yourself at home.”

Eve does come in as Villanelle hurries to the kitchen to finish cooking whatever delicious creation it is she is working on. Immediately Eve's jaw drops open as she takes in the interior décor. It looks like the inside of a castle. Lavish, opulent, everything. There's a fucking golden chandelier hanging from the dinning room ceiling. Eve suddenly feels like she should be wearing a crown just to come in here.

Everything is ridiculously over the top. But then again, Eve should have expected this from Villanelle given how she dressed and where she worked. “I'm sorry, when you said to come over your house, did you mean to say castle?”

Villanelle looks at Eve, not understanding the context of this. “No?”

“You live in a fairytale!” Eve exclaimed, waving her hands wildly around. “Seriously, your décor taste is so posh.”

“What can I say. I like good things. The best things. Why not have them?” Villanelle shrugged. “Make yourself at home. I am going to bring the food out soon.”

“I brought wine for us, but now I feel like it's not nearly expensive enough for this meal.”

“Any wine is fine, Eve. It's more about having you over for dinner. You could bring water and I would still be happy you did.”

“If you say so,” Eve takes it out and takes a seat at the table. The dishes and cutlery are already set up and Eve admires it, finding that it's all of course real silver. Even the drapes have to be made from red velvet, and with jewels hanging on the edges of it that are clear but most certainly probably real.

Eve finds it weird that Villanelle doesn't have any cars or a private jet in her backyard to go places. Maybe she really does prefer walking everywhere.

Villanelle comes out of the kitchen, with some bowls and plated food. “I hope you brought your appetite because there is a lot to go around.” She sets them down and indicates for Eve to take her pick.

Eve helps herself to some and digs in.

She takes a single bite of the chicken and is a goner. Flavor bursts across her mouth and her eyes flutter shut as she holds in a groan of pleasure.

Eve can't help her reaction. Oh. _Ohhhh._ Villanelle hadn't been lying about how good of a cook she was. Shit. This food was just....was just orgasmic. Eve meant that literally. She could feel her body react to this meal inappropriately. It was starting to heat up, a pit of fire growing in her stomach.

That wasn't good. She should probably stop eating. But she just started and it would be rude not to finish this meal. Shit, what was she going to do? She could feel panic mixing in with the rising pleasure. She was aware of Villanelle's curious gaze on her.

“So, what do you think?”

“You weren't lying.”

“I told you my cooking was good.”

Too good, Eve thinks.

Villanelle tucks in and Eve does so more hesitantly now. Villanelle has no reaction to the food, so then why is Eve feeling this way? Is something wrong with her? Is it her hormones? Is menopause rearing it's head? Shit. Maybe the first bite was a fluke?

She takes two more bites and swallows them down, feeling her toes curl up as the food travels down, blessing her body with it's taste and texture.

Okay, the first bite wasn't a fluke. She hesitates, working her jaw.

“Do you not like the food?” Villanelle asks, noticing Eve's pause.

“No, no I do!” she hastily assures. “I love it.”

“Hm.”

“Hm,” Eve mirrors and puts more food on her fork. She can feel her body heating up even more, feel her breaths get shallower as her eyes threaten to flutter shut once more. Fuck fuck. What is going on? There should be no reason for her feeling this way. She knows of aphrodisiacs, but there's no way that they would be this strong even if Villanelle put any in her food.

“Wine?” Eve breathlessly suggests and pulls it out of her bag. She needs a break from the food.

“Sure,” Villanelle holds out her glass as Eve pulls the cork out quickly, with slightly shaking hands and pours a glass for Villanelle and herself. She pours two very full glasses and quickly drains hers. It's a good thing she brought this wine. It's exactly what she needs.

“Are you alright,” Villanelle asks with mild concern.

Eve nods her head over the frantic gulping of her glass. “I'm fine,” she put the glass down with a harsher thump than needed. Then, she smiled and went on with the meal.

* * *

Villanelle had used a special recipe from Hell that was meant to be irresistible. It was meant to make whoever ate the dish, aroused. And if Eve was aroused, it would be easier for her to be tempted into damnation by sleeping with a demon. Obviously, there were other ways to trick humans into sleeping with a demon. But, Villanelle felt like those were cheap tricks. Used by those who were lazy and lacked tact. Villanelle liked her target to be willing. It just made things so much more fun and better if the target themselves willingly gave themselves up to corruption.

So, while the demon magic was under way, Villanelle tried to play it cool as she ate the food which didn't affect her because she was immune to it. She could see the effect of the food already on Eve's face from the first bite. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to prevent a smile from breaking out on her face.

Play it cool, she reminded herself.

But it was so tempting to laugh, especially because it was amusing to see how Eve was trying really hard not to be rude in rejecting the meal but obviously she knew the food was affecting her. She couldn't wait to lay the charm on Eve later. Charm the woman into her arms, help alleviate her needs. Poor Eve even had a glass of wine to try to put herself in control. But alcohol would only make things more difficult.

She humored Eve by having the glass of wine as well. The wine tastes like shit. Villanelle tries not to pull a face when she drinks it. Eve really still doesn't know how to pick a good vintage. She goes back to her meal, trying to strike up conversation. “How was work?”

“Oh, you know, the same old same old. Hugo being a dick, Bill and Elena keeping me company and Kenny being a clueless and yet genius person. How can a person be stupid and smart at the same time?” she asked, but not in a rude way.

“Some people are like that. He might be book smart but not street smart.”

Eve chews on her food thoughtfully. Villanelle has noticed that Eve has become calmer now. As if the wine soothed her. Huh, did the alcohol neutralize the effects of Villanelle's recipe? Odd.

“But tell me more about yourself. I feel like I don't know much about your past,” Eve prompts.

“What would you like to know?” Villanelle has a whole fabricated past for just this.

“Where did you grow up?”

“On a small street in Bath. Small house, with only my mother to raise me.”

“Oh, I didn't mean to bring up if you had-”

“No, it's alright. My father is a shit head. He left us, when I was very young, for another woman. But my mother raised me. She was hard working and I wanted to repay her for her hard work raising me. I was not an easy child. And, after busting my ass in law school, I finally was able to repay her. She's now living in a nice flat in Paris, where she's always dreamed of being.”

“That's very nice of you. Do you speak French?”

“Yes. I speak many tongues,” Villanelle assures, brows furrowing a bit when she notices even the light flush on Eve's cheek has faded. What the hell is going on? That's when she realizes something is wrong with herself. Her skin feels hot. Too hot, a sudden flush falling over her.

The world around her shifts and tilts, like she's drunk. But she knows she only had a single glass of wine. She shouldn't be-

Her eyes narrow in on the wine.

It was the wine. Had something been in the wine?

Her mouth tasted like blood. Her throat was burning.

There was only one thing that could make that happen.

Holy water.

Somehow, either the bottle was blessed or there had been Holy water in it. But why? Why would it be there? Had some pesky angel been watching over Eve and done this because they had known Villanelle was trying to tempt her?

Great, just what she fucking needed.

She grunts and bends over as she can feel it working it's way through her system.

Whoever had done this was intelligent. The taste of the horrible wine masked the Holy Water, allowing her to ingest a number of it before noticing. That was why the wine was shit.

Fuck. She closed her eyes as pain laced through her abdomen. She probably hadn't drank enough of it to banish her existence to the lower planes for an extended period of time as she was a higher up demon. Still, the effects weren't going to be pretty.

“Uh, Villanelle are you okay?” Eve asks in a soft concerned voice.

Villanelle's hand grips the side of the table, turning white knuckled. She needs Eve to leave right now.

“Eve, I think I may need to cut this dinner short,” she manages to make out through gritted teeth.

“But, Villanelle if you're not feeling well, I can't just leave you-” Eve blusters.

“Eve, I will be fine. I need to go to a doctor. Please, leave,” she tries to be reasonable but her temper is starting to slip. She wants Eve gone now. As soon as possible.

“Villanelle, I won't just leave you like this,” Eve stands up, circling around the table. Villanelle grunts out and whimpers as she tries to stand to avoid Eve but instead falls right into her, unable to support herself.

“Oh,” falls out of her lips and she's barely aware of Eve taking her to the couch and placing her gingerly down on it. The world is becoming blurry and sound is distorted. “I'll be right back with some water and a cold towel,” Eve says, or maybe it's something like that, Villanelle can't make it out. She can feel a pull down in her veins. A deep irresistible pull that only precedes one thing.

Banishment.

Eve leaves and Villanelle swallows down a frustrated sigh as she slings one hand over her forehead, other resting on her stomach lightly, before she utters out a quiet fuck in her Russian accent and is banished to Hell, leaving nothing but some ashes on the couch as a reminder she had been there.

* * *

Villanelle doesn't know how long she's asleep but she wakes up to Konstantin's face looking down on her, assessing her. She sits up and roughly shoves him away. “Got a good show when I was sleeping?” she asks flirtatiously to offset her discomfort at being vulnerable.

He backs up, putting his hands up. “Villanelle, I never expected you to be the type to get taken out by willingly ingesting Holy Water.”

She flashes her teeth at him and would have jumped off the bed and grabbed his throat for this insult, but her body still ached and she did not feel strong. Besides, he wasn't worth expanding her efforts on. She assesses the room; she's back in her house in Hell. And he had just let himself in so rudely.

“I didn't drink it on purpose.”

“You sure? Because the doctors said something else. You're lucky I called them and got it out of you. It would have stayed in your system for who knows how long and kept ravaging you. And then where would you be,” he said with a shrug.

“I would be fine.”

“You really wouldn't be.”

“I would.” To show him just how fine she is, she jumps out of bed like an Olympic gymnast and holds her arms up above her head, hiding the pain of it with a big smile.

“Either way, they're giving the promotion to someone else.”

Her smile drops so fast, she almost gets whiplash from it. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I said. They gave you a chance and you failed it. So they're going to let-”

This time she does move towards him, ignoring the pain burning through her veins as she does so. “I'm not done.”

“They're done with you,” he doesn't seem afraid of her at all.

He should be. She's pissed off.

“I decide when I'm done. I am going to go back and get Eve. I haven't even started the second stage of my plan!” she insists, pointing a finger at the ground.

“And what is that plan?” he asks calmly, too calmly. “Cook her some more food? Scrub her back in a bath perhaps?”

“You've been spying on me?!” she screeches out in incredulity.

“You refused to report back to us,” he did not seem apologetic at all.

“Then what was the point of me relaying those stupid phone calls if they didn't count?!”

“Regardless, we saw what you did. You took too long, so I told them to take you off the promotion.”

This time a blade materializes in her hand and she holds it against his throat. He doesn't flinch. “Just because all of you idiots are unable to appreciate the fine art of seduction doesn't mean I'm doing a bad job. I am going back out there.”

“I don't think you should.” And there is something pleading in Konstantin's eyes. But what is he pleading? For her to listen to him? To not go up there?

“I think I should.”

“If you go back up there, I can't help you.”

“Good,” she pulls back, disappears the knife. “I don't need your help.”

He looks sad as she turns to her drawer to change her outfit. She can't be spotted in the same clothes from last time.

Konstantin sighs and leaves the room, allowing Villanelle to be to her own devices.

When Villanelle goes back up to the human world, dressed in a pink suit with a shirt and ascot combo that would many jealous, her phone pings to life with several messages from Eve that she hadn't been able to get before due to lack of cell service. They make Villanelle's face light up when she sees the concern in them.

Poor Eve misses her. Worried over her. Villanelle almost forgets about her still aching body as she reads the messages.

**Eve: Hey, where are you?**

**Eve: I left to get you water and you're gone.**

**Eve: I'll give you space.**

**Eve: Please be okay.**

These were all messages from yesterday.

**Villanelle: I'm okay. Sorry for running off but I don't like people doting over me.**

Satisfied with that response she hits send. She goes back to her house, ready to start her plan on corrupting Eve once again.

When she gets in, she finds that someone else is there. She can feel their presence.

“What is it with people breaking in? It's rude,” she says before she enters the room and spots the new guest. It's a man, with glasses perched on his nose. He is looking in distaste at the décor. She immediately hates him for it.

“I was just doing some research.”

“On?”

He keeps his back turned to her, attention diverted, hands behind his back. “On why my predecessor failed. I refuse to make the same mistakes you did.”

She sticks her tongue into her cheek in an effort to calm herself down. She lets out a low chuckle. “You think you are funny but you are not. I am not finished with Eve.”

“The higher ups think you are. I am to pick up the pieces.”

“You will not get a hand on her,” Villanelle came up behind him, so close she was breathing into his ear, but was careful about not touching him. “She's mine.”

“No,” he shook his head and turned carefully in the space to eye her with disdain. “She's mine.” And then he was gone in black smoke.

With a scream of frustration, Villanelle punched a hole in the wall where he had stood.


	5. We're Just Friends

Villanelle cannot afford to lose Eve to that uppity demon with that smug smirk. He goes by Aaron, she finds out once she contacts some sources in Hell. And by that she means tortures the answers out of some of his underlings. And he is one nasty piece of work. Villanelle thinks that she's bad, well he's ten times as messed up as her. And that's saying something.

She has the long list of his misdeeds and it trails down, filling the whole first floor of her house and that's only because half of it is still in the demon dimension being spat out. Honestly, he pisses her off and she's barely met him. It's mainly because he decided to target Eve, when very clearly, Eve was hers to have. Villanelle wouldn't just sit around and let him get her. She had to take action. Quickly, or else bad things might happen that weren't Villanelle's doing.

She had a hunch Aaron would be meticulous, and being something like this meant that he would take a bit more time to get everything in place. Luckily, Villanelle was chaotic, but also full of plans. Which was why she burst the pipe in Eve's house, causing immense flooding overnight. Sneaking out, she leaned against the lamp post and waited there until morning arose. She spun her wrist and summoned a basket of bread. An excuse to come and knock on Eve's door when Eve finally awoke and saw the mess. Also, it was a bit of an apology.

For making the mess. But it was a necessary evil; one so Villanelle could protect Eve.

At exactly seven, Eve woke up. Villanelle could see her moving through the second floor window. It would only be a matter of time before- ah!

Loud cursing that Villanelle's sharp hearing picked up and she bit back a grin. Good, Eve had found the mess. Things were moving according to plan.

* * *

“What the everloving fuck!?!” Eve was close to tearing out her hair. This could not be happening. This could not be happening to her right now. But it was. She came downstairs to see everything in her living room was floating in murky water.

A pipe had burst. And her house was flooded.

What had she done to deserve this? “God,” she groaned out and rubbed her forehead. She had to call work, tell them she wouldn't be able to go in today. And then she had to get a repairman on this. This was going to cost her a lot of money. She was so fucked.

Letting loose a chain of expletives that would make anyone blush, she became aware of a ringing on her door. Now what? What fresh hell awaited her now?

Angrily, she stomped towards it, ripping it open. “What?” she snarled out and flinched when she saw who was on the other end. Villanelle, in running gear, holding up a basket in her hand.

“Uh, hello Eve?” she questioned, blinking.

“Oh, hi. Sorry-I thought- I thought you were some door to door salesman,” she stuttered through a reply, raking a hand through her hair. Her anger tempered down a bit but she was still pissed off.

“I made bread last night. Figured you might like a fresh patch as an apology for up and leaving you.”

“Yea, what happened last night?” Eve's eyes searched Villanelle's form, looking for any signs of harm. Villanelle smiled at her. “Just an upset stomach. It happens sometimes to me. My stomach will act up really badly. But it's okay now. I feel much better.” She patted her stomach and chuckled lightly.

“Sorry, thanks, I appreciate the bread-” she took the basket and wanted to go back in quickly, because she had a mess to clean up inside her house. As the basket was handed over, Villanelle's eyes grew large as she noticed something.

“Why is your TV floating?”

Eve turned back to see that it was coming down the hallway to her. She groaned out in annoyance. “My house flooded overnight.”

“Oh that's terrible Eve. Do you have anywhere to stay while it's going to be fixed up?”

She hadn't even thought of that. “Uh, I mean maybe I can stay with Bill-”

“You can stay with me,” Villanelle didn't even let Eve finish her sentence. She turned a arched brow to the blonde. “I have a big house. And it won't be far from where you live, so it'll be much more convenient than having to travel back and forth from Bill's.”

“I-Are you sure?” Eve asked and Villanelle nodded her head eagerly and sincerely to this. “Of course. I don't mind, for the time being. And I can keep you safe from more burst pipes in my house.”

Eve snorted to that but felt some anger dissipate from inside her. “Let me just get my things in order and I'll be over.”

“I'm in no rush. I can help. I don't have to go into the firm until later today anyways,” Villanelle said.

Well, two pairs of hands would be better than one. “Okay. I'll tell you what you can help pack up.”

* * *

That went easier than expected, Villanelle thought gleefully. Eve was going to go over to Villanelle's where Villanelle would keep an eye on her until Aaron was dealt with. And it would also prove advantageous over the pesky angel that had indirectly intervened in their last interaction. Villanelle had made sure to put up wards around her house. This would alert her if anyone was in the vicinity and if anyone unwelcome entered her house.

Eve would be the safest there she would be anywhere.

Naturally, Villanelle would have to do something when Eve went to work, or left the house on walks. But Villanelle was invisible to the human eye when she wanted to be, so it wouldn't be too hard to follow Eve around.

As Eve hastily packed her things in the room next door, Villanelle dared to peek into Eve's drawer. Her brows went up. Well well, who knew that Eve liked to wear such racy underwear? She plucked up a particularly lacy pair and tucked it into her sports bra for personal reasons later.

The door snapped open a second later, Eve showing up dressed for the day and with some bags to accompany her to Villanelle's later. “I'm ready.”

Villanelle held out her hands and was gifted two bags that weighed nothing to her. The walk over was quick, Eve throwing a sad glance over her shoulder at her home.

“I can't believe your house got flooded,” Villanelle said as she helped Eve move her bags in to the spare upstairs bedroom in her house.

“I know. It's crazy bad luck. But thank you for letting me stay here.”

“It's no problem. It's the least I can do for a friend.” Villanelle smiled and set the bags down. “I have to go to work, but if you need anything just call me. You're free to stay here as long as you want.”

“Thank you. You really are a good friend,” Eve said, smiling, but eyes tired at the task of fixing up her house.

“If you need me to sue the water company, I'll gladly do that too,” Villanelle added in and bit the inside of her cheek when Eve laughed at that. Eve had such a nice laugh. She should laugh more often.

“I bet you're just looking for any excuse to sue people,” she wagged a finger playfully at Villanelle.

“You know me so well,” Villanelle said.

And then went to her room to change. “Bye Eve,” she called out as she 'left the house for work'. Eve called out a quick goodbye from where she was unpacking her belongings into the drawers. Villanelle made a show of closing the door shut loudly and waiting several minutes before she turned invisible. She was going to do a quick scout of the neighborhood. Eve should be fine alone in the house for a while.

Using her strength, which unfortunately was a bit tampered when using a human form, she found the tallest building in the surrounding area and climbed it skillfully, like a spider, hands sticking to the walls. She stood there and closed her eyes, sending out invisible feelers, trying to pick up any demonic aura.

She could make out a small time demon in a strippers body, sucking out the soul of a man who'd hired her. Ah, a succubus then. They were always tricky ones to watch for. One had almost gotten Villanelle. They really were indiscriminate with who they tried to suck dry.

There was a demon driving a cab around the block, a demon mowing the lawn of their house. And a demon selling liquor to some underaged kids. But these were all small timers.

No signature of Aaron Peel. It seemed he was still planning. Good, at least he would stay away for now. She had no idea what he was getting up to. Maybe it was time to call some contacts, find out more information about him.

She hurried back to her house, silently making her way in because she didn't want Eve to hear her. But when she went upstairs to check on her, she wasn't there. And she hadn't been downstairs.

Shit. Don't tell her Eve had left the house! But why! There was food around!

She rushed out of her house and to Eve's, but inspecting it inside led her to no clues either and all she did was get her heels wet. Shit, where could Eve had gone? She was just racing around the block when she felt it, like a rolling shiver down her spine.

“Fuck!” she screamed and startled a man walking down the block. He nearly fell to the floor in shock but looked around wildly, unable to find the source of the noise. Aaron was back in the neighborhood. She had to do something about this. She had to find Eve now!

But where could the woman be? Finding human signatures was often so much harder. Demon signatures felt like nails raking down the back or being pushed into the brain. Human signatures were barely even gnats flying around. Which was why, she tried to reassure herself, Aaron would have a hard time finding Eve too.

Which was why she decided to face him directly. Maybe this would be her chance to get rid of him. She followed his trial, not even bothering to hide her own aura from him. Signatures couldn't be hid directly, but they could be minimized through various means to make them harder to determine who was who. This Aaron guy did not care about that. He was flaunting his signature like he didn't care that Villanelle knew who he was.

Following the roads and pushing into people who stumbled and looked around for this invisible source of force, she made way to him. Finding him sitting on a park bench, an elderly gentleman sitting in the middle.

“Villanelle,” Aaron said, not even bothering to look at her. “Nice to see you around.”

She sits down on the bench on the other side, biting back her sharp retort. “Why are you still here? Surely you have something better to do in Hell than this?”

“I was given a task. I intend to carry it out.”

“It was my task to do!” she yelled, the elderly man just chewing his meal; it seemed he didn't even seem to register them talking at all where a normal man might.

“Are you always this eager to please, Villanelle? Or should I call you Oksana Astankova?” he said, and like that of a machine, turned his head to face her. His face was blank as usual.

She furrowed her brows. Nothing he said made sense. “What are you talking about?”

“We're more similar than you think,” was all he said before getting up. “I suggest you let me do the job. I'm doing you a huge favor by doing it, actually. And for your own sake, figure out just who it is you are. We'd be more powerful working together.”

She didn't like his cryptic bullshit. She got up, furious, hands balled. “Aaron, or whatever your demon name is-”

“It is Aaron Peel; it was my human name and it is my demon name.” He gave her a look over. “If it weren't for your creativity and your power, I'd be inclined to end you right here and right now. But, as I stated before, we'd be more powerful together. Give it some thought.” And then he disappeared into smoke, drifting away in the breeze like a bad smell.

Villanelle stared at it, working her jaw. She couldn't sense him in town anymore. He truly was gone. She left, deciding she needed to go home. The elderly man on the bench sighed. “Damned voices are starting up again. At least they're interesting this time.”

Villanelle spends an hour wandering all over town, growing ever increasingly worried and frustrated that she can't find Eve. She thinks of texting her, but how could she even text her without it sounding like she was stalking her?

Pissed off, and out of breath from running around, she goes back home, deciding she needs to regroup and make a better plan on how to keep Eve indoors. Maybe buy her a bunch of books so she has to read them?

No, that's a weak idea, and Eve has to go to work anyways.

She opens the door, not even bothering to keep up her invisible form and is greeted by a smell of food...but not quite food? She stumbles in and finds her missing friend in the kitchen.

“You look frazzled. Are you okay?” Eve asks, stirring something on the stove. She looks up casually from the mess she has made in the kitchen. Despite the apron on her, which she looks cute in, she is covered in what looks to be flour?

Villanelle must look how she feels. She smooths back a hand over her hair, some of which has come loose from her ponytail. “Um, no, just-terrible day at work. There's this asshole and you know-” she rolls a hand, trying to take a deep breath and compose herself. “What are you doing?” and she doesn't mean it to sound like an accusation but she just wants to know where the fuck Eve went.

“Oh, I thought it would be nice of me to try and thank you for keeping me safe from my own house, but I don't think it's working out?” she questions at the end.

Villanelle goes in, not able to keep the wince from her face. “I think I may need to hire professional cleaners to get this all out.” Is that chocolate? On her ceiling?

Eve sighs and stops stirring her pot of mysterious content. “You're right. I think I should stop. I made more of a mess than I helped.”

“I'll clean it all up tomorrow,” Villanelle waved off because she couldn't use her magic to insta clean it all right now. “We can order take out. What do you want?” she went to pick up the phone, holding it up as she waited for Eve to decide.

“Just whatever you're having.”

“Thai?”

“Yea, that's fine,” she said, turning off the stove and taking off the apron. “God, look at me. I am a mess.”

Villanelle pulls out a bay leaf from Eve's hair, looking at her like 'how did that I get there'.

“I'm going to go shower,” she responds with and leaves, Villanelle on the line with the restaurant.

When Eve comes back down the take out has arrived and Villanelle has set up the table.

“How come you're back so early. I thought you were supposed to be in the office?” she asks, thoughtfully chewing on her chicken.

“Light day today. I am a partner in the company so I get to choose the days I want. I figured you might enjoy my company since you had a tough day today.”

“That's sweet of you. And then here I was, ruining your kitchen with my awful cooking skills.”

“What were you trying to make?”

“Something savory at first. But then it turned sour? So I added sugar to make it sweeter and then it just kept spiraling downhill from there.” She waved a hand. Poured some sauce from the sauce packet onto her food. “But tell me about your day. I've never seen you that frazzled before. Who was this asshole to give you so much trouble?”

Villanelle isn't sure she should say anything, but she does want to vent about Aaron to someone. “He's this hot shot guy. New, thinks he's all that. He won't listen to anything I have to say. He thinks he's better than all of us.”

Oksana Astankova, rings in her head. The name felt familiar. He'd said it was hers. Her human name. But she wasn't human? What was he talking about?

“You just need to knock him down a few pegs. Pop that big head of his.”

“Oh, I can do that,” she assures deviously, biting on her bottom lip as she thinks of ways to torment him.

* * *

Eve has a hellish time trying to get anyone to come and fix her house. Suddenly every company is booked or busy and won't be able to come around for more than a week, so that's why, Eve is in her house with a bucket, jeans rolled up to her ankles, as she tries to clean everything up.

With shoddy workman ship, she's managed to seal off the pipes, which should hold for now until professional help comes. But she does need to clear this water out. And it's taking ages.

It's a weekend, damn it! She should be relaxing instead of working her ass off. At least Elena, Kenny, and Bill had been kind enough to show up to help her. They have similar plastic buckets in their hands, dumping the contents out the window or door.

“It would be easier if we had a plastic pipe and just sucked the water out from inside to outside,” Kenny suggests and Eve growls at him. “Don't mention the word pipe around me ever again.”

“Got it,” he gulps and dutifully returns back to shoveling water out.

They've made some sort of headway. Most of the water was absorbed by the floorboards which means she'll have to change those otherwise risk black mold growing. There's only a bit of water left. The rest can be mopped up.

There's a ring on the doorbell even though it's wide open. Villanelle's head pops in and she smiles. “I see the clean up crew is here. I brought some refreshments and snacks for all your hard work.” She went in and set down a basket of goodies to the happy noises of all of Eve's friends.

“Eve, you dog. You threatened us into helping you, and your friend gives us food? It should be the other way around.”

“She enjoys suing the pants off of people Bill. Her giving you snacks is just a diversion tactic,” Eve spoke up, though she was glad for the food offered. She was starving. Bill and Kenny hurried over to get some, ripping open the food and drinks as Villanelle strode further into the house, the heels she wore stabbing sadly into the soggy floor. “Don't worry, I have dinner waiting for us at home. I'll see you there?” asked with almost a hopeful tinge.

“Yes, thank you. I appreciate it,” Eve said sincerely.

“I wish I could help clean up, but I have a huge case this weekend. I'll be up in my room, working on it.” The blonde leaves not too long after this.

It feels strangely domestic to come home to a meal. To be cared for. It's only been three days but it feels like they've been married? It's odd. Really odd. Eve doesn't know what to make of it, so she doesn't try to.

Elena, who had been watching the exchange gleefully, turns to Eve.

“Oh my gosh, Eve. You didn't tell us you were shacking up with a hottie,” Elena said in a loud whisper. Eve's eyes bulged out and she made a sh motion. She didn't want to talk about this. “She's just a friend, letting me temporarily stay with her because she lives close.”

“Why don't you introduce us?”

“You really think now is a good time?” Eve asks dryly indicating the mess of her house.

“It's better than never. And if you won't do it, I will,” Elena says.

Eve groans out. “We're just friends.”

“That's what they all say,” Elena says with a wink before she hurries over to get her own snack. 


	6. The Devil You Know

Eve's seduction gets put a bit on the back burner in favor of trying to keep up with Aaron's advances. He's laid low for several days, but on the fourth day, he makes his move. It's a good thing Villanelle follows Eve around everywhere or else she wouldn't have spotted it.

And honestly it's kind of low the methods he employs to try and take down Eve because they are subpar. It's disrespectful to take out someone as wonderful as Eve with something so mundane and not worth her. He's trying to go for an accidental angle and someone like Eve should be artfully put to rest. Gone all out on, like paint being splattered onto a canvas to construct the most astounding of pieces of art. He's not the right artist for this piece.

As Eve is crossing the street, she hastens to look both ways. She doesn't notice Aaron, for he is invisible. The man twirls his wrist and one of the cars turning suddenly veers off it's trajectory. Cursing under her breath, Villanelle leaps out in front and snatches Eve off the street from the runaway car that Aaron conducted. Villanelle is a bit hasty in her attempt and when she rolls to soften the blow, she ends up hurting herself. Not badly, but enough that Eve sits up and notices right away.

“Was that car-” she looks mildly shocked, looking at it leaving, before she looks down at who saved her. “Villanelle, you saved me- and oh my god what is that doing in your shoulder?” Villanelle mentally cursed this time, because she'd unwittingly dropped her shield and now Eve could see her and probably had a lot of questions on why she was here. But the bigger issue right now is the wound.

It's a shard of glass causing it. Real fucking huge. And something tells her Aaron magicked glass onto the street out of spite because Villanelle is lying on a huge bunch of it, where she was certain there hadn't been any moments ago.

“I'm fine,” she assures and scrambles to get up and push Eve out of the street before another car makes an appearance. Villanelle watches Aaron from the corner of his eye. He tsks but vanishes. His first attempt is over, but something tells Villanelle it won't be his last today.

“We need to get you to a doctor,” Eve states, hands drifting back and forth from the wound, always stalling before touching it as if she wants to pull it out but has the reasoning to know she shouldn't.

“I'm fine,” Villanelle chuckles, more upset her pristine suit is less than pristine now. “I'll take myself there.”

“Villanelle, how did you even-”

Villanelle puts a finger up to Eve's mouth, shushing her. She is not in the mood for this. “I have to say it was lucky timing for me to have seen you. Now if you excuse me, I have to go to the doctor,” and she hobbles off, only turning invisible when she rounds the corner. She knows Eve will have questions but she can't answer any of those. She hisses as she leans against the alley way and pulls out the shard of glass. It hurts, but her skin is already healing and she stares at her own reflection in the bloody glass. She is going to hurt Aaron for this.

She tosses it away angrily, and it shatters somewhere along the gutter. With a quick wave of her hand she transforms into a clean new suit. This one black as night, because she is pissed. And also because black hides the blood stains better. Stains that will come from Aaron.

She keeps to her invisible form and follows Eve into her work building where she has followed her for days now. The woman still looks frazzled from her encounter earlier today but thankfully not too badly. If Villanelle could she would comfort Eve, with a kiss and a warm hug. But as soon as she thinks this she shakes her head free of such thoughts. Eve may be in her care now, but it's only because she needs her in one piece to seduce her. Not because she cares about her. Gross.

Having feelings- not for her.

She plops down on top of Eve's desk in her tiny cubicle and watches her, fascinated by how humans worked like little bees. Always chugging forwards, doing this and doing that. Working hard until they fell sick if only for money to satisfy the capitalism's wants. Villanelle would hate having to be constrained like this. And yet, Eve seems content. Villanelle perches her chin on her hand and watches as Eve clacks away on the keyboard. She has a tendency to run her hands through her hair and Villanelle watches, entranced when it bounces back. Such full curls. So nice.

Eventually the peace of the day is shattered when Villanelle senses Aaron's presence again. But every single attempt of Villanelle's to protect Eve pays off. An air conditioning unit falling down, Villanelle pushes Eve aside and takes it to the head. A tree branch falling- another hit to Villanelle's head as Eve is pushed away.

A venomous spider finds it's way into Eve's store bough lunch meal- suddenly it's cradled in Villanelle's hand and biting her instead.

Each attempt is foiled and it only makes Aaron more angered. But his anger is silent, stoic. Whereas Villanelle might have burst out in a tantrum, he simply draws more into himself and eventually at the end of the day, recedes entirely. Villanelle lets out a sigh of relief for it has been most tiresome protecting Eve.

Not physically taxing for none of the injuries hurt Villanelle, but just mentally exhuming. Being on constant guard is eating at her. Eve is just oblivious to this all. And where is her angel anyways? Shouldn't they be stopping these attempts too? They had after all stopped Villanelle's attempt to seduce her with food.

Typical. Angels only helped when they felt like it. Otherwise, no work from them.

When Eve gets back to Villanelle's house, Villanelle waits a couple of minutes before also coming in, acting like she came back from a long day of work. Eve immediately drops the remote from how she'd been channel surfing and ran up to her.

“Villanelle you really need to stop disappearing when you get hurt. I was freaking out all day!” Eve exclaims and that had been true. Eve had taken out her phone and started writing many messages to Villanelle only to back space them and never send them. It had been adorable to see how much she cared for Villanelle's well being. Would she care the same when she knew what Villanelle really was? Or why she was here?

“It's cute you worry for me, but I have already sued the owner of the car, so everything is well,” she brushed it off, not wanting to dwell on this any longer because Eve could start figuring out how things didn't quite add up.

“Seriously, I want to know if you're okay,” Eve blocked the doorway as Villanelle tried to move past. Oh, Villanelle had not been expecting that. What was she going to do now?

“Eve, I promise, I'm fine,” she said, the words no sooner out of her mouth than -”I want to see.”

“What?” Villanelle blinks.

“I want to see the wound.”

There was no wound, but Villanelle couldn't well say that. And she couldn't say no. something in Eve's eyes told her this was nonnegotiable. “Okay, let me just take off my blazer.” She slowly shrugged it off, Eve's gaze on her intense. It made the hair on Villanelle's skin rise up with anticipation. Often time a look like this preceded sex, but this wasn't like that. All the while, she focused her magic to make a believable looking wound on her shoulder. Blazer off, she slung it over her arm.

“The shirt too. I don't have x-ray vision,” Eve said.

Villanelle undid the buttons, one by one until they were all loose and she let the shirt slip down her shoulders, revealing the bandages on one. This time Eve couldn't resist looking and touching the wound. She felt it, satisfied to see there was no blood there. “Does it hurt?” she asked and Villanelle shook her head no. For some reason, this felt insanely intimate, the way Eve was standing closer to her, the heat of their bodies in the air, the way her fingers made a slight whispering noise as they ran down her bandages.

“Why did you save me?” she asked at last, looking into Villanelle's eyes. This close up, it felt harder to lie.

“Because I was there. And my body just reacted,” she said, voice low as Eve's fingers trailed inattentively up her shoulder to her collarbone and rested there, thumb caressing the hollow of her throat absently.

“Don't do something dumb like that again,” Eve warns and then steps back and Villanelle can breathe.

“Of course,” Villanelle responds but secretly doesn't mean it. Because out there is Aaron and she needs him gone.

* * *

Seduction isn't entirely off the table however, and Villanelle makes good use of the time Eve spends sleeping in her house. When the Asian woman goes to sleep, Villanelle sneaks into her room and gently whispers into her ear a magic spell that will give the woman dreams. Not just any dreams, erotic dreams. About her. And about Eve. Together, doing the nastiest things possible. It would make the most perverted of people blush and she knows she will relish Eve's expression in the morning, when she is unable to look Villanelle in the eyes. It's why she wakes up so chipper the day after, sitting in a silky robe that reveals too much skin, and having prepared a breakfast for them.

When she hears Eve's slippered feet hit the stairs as she descends, Villanelle tries to hide her gleeful smile with a spoonful of cereal.

“Good morning!” she chirps and Eve blearily blinks at her.

“Oh, good morning,” she responds and shuffles to the table, wiping her eyes.

“Sleep well?” Villanelle asks.

“Yes,” is the simple answer and Villanelle's smile wilts. She hadn't been expecting that answer. Did Eve not have the dreams? But Villanelle knew she had made the spell work. So then how come....? Eve didn't even look ashamed or anything. Villanelle grumpily crossed her arms over her chest as she sat back. This was no fun. Why did none of her magic work on Eve?

She wasn't even the tiniest bit disturbed!

Eve was merrily crunching into her toast. Villanelle would have to try it another time. Maybe Eve had been too deeply asleep to have had the dreams or something like that. Villanelle's focus switched back to the rival demon for now. And for good reason.

Aaron changes his tactic from yesterday. He's purposefully hurting Villanelle now, so as to expose her true nature to Eve. This is extremely against the books. Demons don't expose demons. It's just common courtesy. The only courtesy they have in fact. So him going against it is a big fucking deal. She's going to crush his tiny head between her fingers. She fucking will, she swears it.

He's set up traps through out the day. When Villanelle is visible with Eve as the blonde accompanies Eve to the store because the woman will not let Villanelle do the shopping, he has the audacity to send a vault falling onto her.

It's straight out of a cartoon and she would be laughing if it wasn't so unfunny.

Eve gapes at her, pointing at her like it might make a realization pop up. “Did that fall on you-”

“Yes,” Villanelle tries to laugh if off as her head throbs and she seethes inside. She pats the bank vault that made her stumble. It's now light as air, made of foam in fact because Villanelle changed it's properties. “But it's really light.” She tosses it at Eve who makes a noise and catches it out of reflex. She is indeed assured of it's lightness but is confused on other matters. “I heard it made a horrific noise when it fell. And the sidewalk-” but the sidewalk where it fell is crater free now.

Villanelle is just lucky she was walking three steps behind Eve so she had the time to magically make things right.

Villanelle shrugs. “Not the strangest thing to happen to me. Must be some disgruntled client trying to pull a prank on me for ruining their life or something.” She fake forces a laugh and then pushes Eve in the direction of the store so they forget about this incident already, sticking out her middle finger to Aaron who was sitting on the roof, observing.

He has another ace up his sleeve for no sooner than they've gone down the block, then a man exists the store, whips out a gun and points it at Eve.

Eve barely has time to scream, before Villanelle is tugging her back and putting her own body in the way. The bullet slices through her abdomen and she gasps at the shock of it and not the pain of it. The force of it sends her backwards, falling into Eve as they both begin to crash into the ground. But Villanelle is not done. As she's falling another shot rings through the air and she mutters out a spell under her breath that evaporates both the man and the bullet, allowing the two of them to fall down without worry of him.

Eve takes the brunt of the fall but is immediately sliding out from under Villanelle, careful to not jostle her bullet wound. “Fuck, Villanelle!” she screams and it is not helping Villanelle's anger at Aaron who has had the common sense to disappear as people draw to the scene. She could hear someone calling for the ambulance and that is not what she wants. She scrambles to get up, to show them she's alright. The bullet burns in her skin but she knows it won't do any actual damage. Instead, she gathers her magic on forcing an illusion right now so she won't offset any panic. She pulls her shirt apart to show she's wearing a bulletproof vest underneath.

“It's alright everyone. I'm fine. Go on with your day now. Shoo,” she says impatiently. Eve is by her side, clutching her as the other people began to walk off, now that nothing else exciting will happen.

“What the fuck, Villanelle,” Eve breathes out, touching the vest and finding it's real. “How-why-?”

“I told you, I have some clients turned enemies. Sometimes I wear this out for my own safety,” she explains patiently and with a hint of annoyance. “Today was my lucky day. Now, if you don't mind I'd like to go home. I feel very upset.”

“As you should!” Eve follows after her as Villanelle puts up a brisk pace to get home. She still needs to extract the bullet but she can't do it out in the middle of the street with Eve watching. The woman can't know this is real. “Where is the guy anyways?”

“He's gone. Coward ran away,” Villanelle says and Eve hurries after her.

“Shouldn't we call the cops or something?” Eve stresses and Villanelle shakes her head.

“I'll handle everything. Don't worry.” Inside she is seething. This went too far. Too far! She was going to rip Aaron's bollucks from his body and enjoy every second of it.

They arrive at Villanelle's house much faster than they left it, and they're both in the entryway when Eve pulls on her wrist, stopping Villanelle's journey from going upstairs for some peace.

“Villanelle, we are not just brushing this aside. You took a bullet, a fucking bullet for me and-”

Eve's rant is cut off when Villanelle rushes in and kisses her out of panic. She didn't know what else to do to stop the rant, to stop Eve from questioning her anymore.

Eve freezes at the touch, at the rough press of lips on her own. Villanelle's hands go to Eve's hips and stay there as eventually she feels the woman melt under her but still not return the kiss making Villanelle pull away. The kiss did it's job because Eve's just staring at her, wide eyed.

“What?” she breathes out.

“You were talking. A lot. And I didn't know how else to shut you up.” Villanelle pulls away, a bit more hurt than she'd like to admit that Eve hadn't reciprocated. But it had sort of happened out of nowhere. “It's an old hold over from my girlfriends. Anyways, dinner?” she tries to affect a casual attitude and goes to the kitchen. She avoids looking at Eve at all, the woman uncharacteristically quiet.

Eve sighs at last. “I'm going.....to take a shower and de-stress.” And she leaves. Villanelle lets out a grateful sigh and finally gets rid of her shirt and her vest. She's oozing blood and with a hand casts it away so she can take the kitchen knife and fiddle around in her entry hole until she gets the bullet out. More blood comes from that, but nothing that her magic can't clean up. And by the time Eve comes down from her shower, Villanelle has healed as right as rain and is in the middle of cooking up some lamb stew.

* * *

Eve went to bed that night, very stressed and concerned over Villanelle. Something wasn't adding up. Villanelle had had all these near brushes with serious harm and yet she was always okay. Was it possible she was a-

A loud noise made her sit up in bed. What was that? It had come from the downstairs. Was it a raccoon? Had a raccoon broken in? Or was it that man from before? The one who had shot Villanelle. Suddenly Eve felt a lot more nervous. Should she check it out?

She was going to check it. She flung the covers back from her legs and slowly crept downstairs, keeping her hand on the railing so she wouldn't fall. She kept as quiet as she could, hearing another loud crash that nearly startled her so bad she slipped on a step. But she regained her balance, and continued down, hearing a swear word that came with a decidedly male voice.

Shit, someone was definitely here that wasn't supposed to.

She froze on the bottom step. Should she call Villanelle? Should she call the police?

“How the fuck did you even get into my house, asshole?!” came Villanelle's loud cry of irritation. She sounded strained. She must be engaging with the man! Hurriedly Eve left the stair landing and made way through the dining room and through the kitchen in the direction of where the struggle was coming from. Her heart was racing wildly in her chest as she opened the knife drawer and pulled one out for protection.

“It wasn't hard,” came the man's voice and Eve could make out his back. He was wearing a sweater and nice trousers, and he was hovering over Villanelle, the two on the floor surrounded by a flipped over couch and some broken glass. “Everyone eventually gets sloppy.”

He seemed to be choking Villanelle and Eve's heart rate sped up even more. Holy fuck, what did she do?

“Villanelle!” was the only thing that could come out of her mouth, holding the knife in front of her as she tried to decide what to do.

Villanelle seemed to revive at the sound of Eve. Eve was here, but why? Shouldn't she be upstairs, asleep where it was safe? She could see Aaron's eyes light up in joy. He was going to go after Eve as soon as he was done with Villanelle. But Villanelle was not yet done.

His hands on Villanelle's throat tightened and she began to see black spots in her vision. “Eve, help me!” she called out, her own hands on his, trying to claw at them, to keep the pressure off. She could break out of this hold easily, but she had an idea. Trying to get Eve to hurt him for her. Another step closer to her descent downwards.

“Shit, fuck,” Eve cursed and with the small knife in her hand, she stabbed Aaron right in the shoulder.

“The shoulder, Eve? The shoulder!” Villanelle cried out in dismay and anger as Eve shook her hands.

“I don't know, do I!” she exclaimed, panicked.

Gritting her teeth, Villanelle reared back her knee and hit Aaron right in the junk. He let out a pained gasp.

“The unfortunate nature of the human body,” he muttered out as Villanelle scrambled out from underneath him.

“Get out here, Eve. Get out!” she cried out in a hoarse voice at Eve as Aaron stood back up.

Eve was freaking out; Villanelle didn't have time for that. “But-but-”

“Just go!” Villanelle screamed out and lifted up her fists to counter Aaron who had recovered from the crotch blow faster than expected.

He had an evil sneer on his face and then ran at her, ramming into her and carrying her out through the window with his force. The window shattered, glass embedding itself into her back. They didn't have far to fall but Villanelle teleported them into the demon dimension so she could handle this properly with no distractions.

They ended up falling onto earth so dry it was cracked. She let out a groan from impact, feeling the breath knocked from her. But she didn't waste any time. Noting the knife still stuck in this shoulder blade, she pulled it out of him and he hissed in pain, as he tried to straddle her properly so he could finish the job. But she was faster. She sliced the blade across his throat and he gurgled as blood cascaded downwards, staining her. She roughly shoved him aside, not wanting to be drenched in the ichor in his veins.

His blood was black. He clamped his hands over his throat, blood weeping from his mouth as well. She stood up, panting as the air came back into her lungs. A wound like that would have finished off a human. But he wasn't human, and he wasn't a low level demon either. He was somewhere around Villanelle's level. He rose to his feet, shedding his human form in one smooth motion.

And their battle began.


	7. Hello, Nice to Beat ya!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm not happy with the show down between Aaron and Villanelle, but I don't want to linger on it and not update. I'll probably go back and fix it at some point.

He was ugly. There was no way about it. His skin was wrinkly and yet covered in a fine mold like fur. He smelled of wet sewers and mothballs and when he spoke it only intensified. His mouth was a gaping hole full of sharp teeth rimming it all around and his eyes were two beady dots that looked hungrily at her. He seemed to melt and fold in on his self, the flaps of skin bubbling and wriggling as he moved. Villanelle could not fathom how he would be a threat to her in this form, but if it was one thing she knew about demons, it was to never underestimate the grotesqueness of their bodies. He squelched as he moved and long bony arms popped out of his folds, long fingered and with sharp edges.

“Why do you insist on interfering, Oksana?” he asked her. His mouth did not move as he spoke. His voice echoed all around her.

“Stop calling me that,” she said, losing her patience.

“But that is your true name. Are you not at all curious to the secrets that have been kept from you? Because something tells me you've been kept in the dark.”

“Oh shut up!” she hissed at him, allowing the burn in her veins to intensify as her power built inside her. “I don't have time to deal with your shit.” She shed her human form too, allowing her bones to crack and pop as they shifted into the proper position. As they were finally allowed to be free. She forgot how stifling human skin could get, because she favored it. But being herself like this was nice once in a while too.

She stood at an impressive ten feet tall, almost as tall as the mess of skin that was Aaron. But where he was mass, she was air, her limbs so thin they were like twigs. And yet she was not to be mistaken for weak. They were deceptively strong, constructed of black obsidian that reflected light and made her shine. Her hands tapered off into sharp claws and her back protruded with black spikes. Long black hair hung from her head which boasted a white face completely smooth like a mask. 

“Ah, the Demon with No Face,” he said noting her coolly and the form she had taken that would only mean war. “Shame, I really liked you,” he said with a shrug that jiggled his whole body mass. “But I guess I have no choice but to destroy you now.”

And so their battle began.

For someone so gelatinous he moved quickly. His hands swiped at her; she either ducked or blocked them, his nails unable to leave deep score marks on her hard flesh. Seeing that, he started to spit out green ooze, that sizzled and burned whatever it landed on.

She jumped back from him, trying to avoid the ooze. It would be disgusting to be digested alive. Their fight continued much upon the same trajectory; it was boring to say the least. Villanelle almost regretted taking him on if only because this was a waste of time. He would spit acid at her, and try to get a scratch in and she would duck or throw fire balls at him from the palm of her hand. She got a good couple of hits in from time to time before leaping out of the way of danger.

The flames she sent would hit him and then sizzle out on his moldy flesh.

How irritating.

It seemed she would have no choice but to utilize her most powerful move to end this quickly.

“For a high level demon all you've done is dance around me. Are you truly this scared to face me and the truth of who you are?” he asked her.

“Boring!!” she complained, slipping into her natural Russian accent. “All you do is repeat yourself.” She paused and allowed the power from every cell in her body to rise up to her command. It grew between her clasped hands and as she pulled her hands apart, a black glowing light was in them, pulsating and getting stronger. “Good thing I will finally shut you up for good. Show you why I am still a better demon than you.”

It was hard to tell if he was fearful or not. “I don't think-”

But she let her sphere of power go and it ended up zooming straight at him. With a soft pop, as soon as it touched him he was gone. As if he'd never existed. The black ball dissipated in the air and that was that.

She should have done this sooner rather than hope for a good battle with him. No one would match up to her. Yawning, she receded back into her human form, stretching her arms over her head. And then she teleported back home. 

“Villanelle,” Eve looked at her with wide eyes. She was sitting on the stoop of the backyard and she stood up, walking towards Villanelle like it was a dream. “I went looking for you. But I couldn't find you. And I called the cops-” she tried to explain away, tried to reason.

“I'm fine. No reason to worry, Eve,” Villanelle assured, rubbing her shoulder. It was a bit stiff where Aaron had hit it. The two paused, standing a foot away from each other.

Eve fiddled with her hands, looking like she had a thousand things to say and was suffocating most of it in order to sound more rational. “Who was he? Was he the guy who-”

“I think he was. But when the cops come here I will let them do a manhunt for him. Okay? Do not worry.”

Eve nodded her head, oddly quiet.

“Not going to yell at me this time?”

“No,” Eve said with mild amusement which was good to see because it meant she was feeling less worried about this all. “Something's beginning to tell me this isn't unusual for you.”

“Yes, it's all quite normal,” Villanelle agreed with a cheeky grin.

* * *

Within a week's time of that all occurring, Eve was able to finally move back home because her pipes and flooring were finally fixed. She could not be happier to be back. Finally, her own bed. While she had enjoyed staying at Villanelle's place, the whole incident with that strange man had put Eve on edge and she couldn't be happier it was all over with.

As she flopped down on her freshly washed sheets, she allowed her eyes to close. She was tired from putting everything back into order in her house and decided she deserved a little break. Her phone pinged and she picked it up, finding an alert there.

Villanelle had texted her. That woman was certainly odd. But charming. But odd first and foremost. Eve remembered their kiss, Villanelle suddenly leaning in and planting one on her. Eve hadn't known how to react because she hadn't expected that. And they'd never talked about it again. Should they talk about it? Should Eve bring it up?

But there never had been a chance.

Maybe it was just best to brush it under the rug.

**Villanelle: All settled in?**

**Eve: Yes. And I need to thank you for helping me during this time.**

**Villanelle: It was no problem.**

**Villanelle: I do not need your thanks.**

**Eve: Let me thank you with a dinner. A nice one. Not cooked by me.**

**Villanelle: I doubt anyone can cook as good as me, but sure.**

**Eve: Good.**

A lull and then **Villanelle:** **I want to met your friends. They sound amazing.**

**Eve: You mean my co-workers?**

**Villanelle: Yes**

**Eve: They're not all my friends.**

**Villanelle: Ouch, how cold.**

**Villanelle: Do you not consider me your friend either?**

Eve didn't know how to consider Villanelle. There was something different about her and Eve had a hunch as to what it was. She just didn't want to voice it or make a big deal out of it.

She bit her bottom lip, not sure how to respond. She stared at her screen until three dots appeared.

**Villanelle: Wow Eve, using me for my cooking :'(**

**Eve: It's not like that.**

**Eve: I'll let you know when my friends and I are going to dinner or to do something fun.**

**Villanelle: Okay.**

**Eve: Just so you know, you are my friend too. But you're not just a work friend. You're a....a street friend?**

**Villanelle: A hobo then?**

Eve laughs at this. Okay, now she can tell Villanelle is just being a little shit and not actually feeling hurt. She types back quickly, feeling a bit giddy to do so, like a teenager texting their crush.

**Eve: I doubt any hobo has your fashion taste. I don't know how to phrase it, but I just consider you a different type of friend than work friend. Doesn't mean you're any lesser however in relation to their friendliness.**

**Villanelle: Hmmmm**

**Villanelle: Not quite sure what you mean...**

**Villanelle: Still trying to debate if I should be offended or not...**

**Eve: Guess the jury's out on that?**

**Villanelle: DID YOU JUST MAKE A LAW JOKE?!**

**Villanelle: EVE HOW COULD YOU!**

Eve laughs. She can't help it. **Eve: Oh so sue me.**

**Eve: But not really. I can't afford it.**

**Villanelle: The only thing I would sue is your taste in sweets. Licorice is not real candy.**

**Eve: It so is.**

**Villanelle: It's not.**

**Eve: Says who.**

**Villanelle: The law.**

**Eve: So you have a court case that says it's legally not candy?**

**Villanelle: Yes, I could send it to you?**

**Eve: I'll pass. Boring laws are not for me. I'll go right to sleep.**

**Eve: Speaking of sleep, are you getting any? I noticed you had some trouble. Is it because of that man, Aaron Peel?**

This time Villanelle takes some time to reply. Eve is about to text her 'nvm' when her phone rings. Startled, she almost drops it, but picks it up on the third ring.

“Hello, Eve,” Villanelle's pleasant British tones fill the phone. “And yes, I am getting some sleep now.” Eve is relieved because when she was still at the blonde's house she'd come down to find Villanelle looking out the window, mug of coffee in her hand, looking angry and distant. She hadn't been hurt after her scuffle with Peel but perhaps the harm had been emotional rather than physical.

“That's good to hear,” Eve murmurs. She herself is not one to speak. She has nights where sleep does not come easily. At all. The only time she'd had a good rest was surprisingly when she'd had those awfully vivid sex dreams involving Villanelle. Eve had woken refreshed and rejuvenated.

Strange, but not unpleasant. She'd had no shame looking Villanelle in the eye after if only because this wasn't the first time Eve had had such sordid dreams.

“Have you been getting sleep? I noticed you hadn't either. And I'm sorry if what happened with Peel prevented that.”

“Oh no. I've had insomnia since before. It's not him.”

“Hm, then I guess you wouldn't like me to read you boring laws so you can fall asleep to my wonderful voice?” Villanelle suggests and you know what, that sounds enticing as hell.

“Actually, if you let me change into my pjs, I'll let you get right on that. I could use some help tonight.” Eve rushes off to get changed.

* * *

Despite not staying together, the dinners have become a regular thing. Each evening Eve comes over and brings a wine or some dessert she's bought, and Villanelle makes them an astounding meal. It's ridiculous how normal this has become.

And it's also become normal for them to hang out a bit afterwards and talk about nonsense, or watch a movie together. This evening, however, Eve wants to do something else.

“Can you show me.”

“Show you what?” Villanelle asks as she dries the dishes that Eve is washing.

“Some of those fancy moves. You said you knew a lot of martial arts. And I'm wondering if you could show me.” Eve wants to see them because she is curious if that's the reason Aaron no longer bothers Villanelle. Which is a good thing. She's glad that's all behind them.

“I'm good at them. Very good. It's part of the reason why Aaron ran away with his tail between his legs,” she flexed a bicep on purpose and since she was wearing short sleeves for once, Eve almost dropped the dish. She recovers just barely.

“What was the other reason?”

“Hm, oh I guess he was scared off by the fact I'd told him I'd punch his dick off.”

“He should not have messed with you.” Eve chuckles, glad this is all behind them.

“No, he should not have,” Villanelle commented lightly. “But yes, I can show you. I should warn you I won't go easy on you.”

“I would hope not,” Eve challenges. After the dishes are done then Villanelle moves aside a couch to make some space for them on the carpet. They position themselves in front of each other, limbs shaken loose.

“What are you going to show me first?” Eve asks and can't help the way her eyes are drawn to the smirk on Villanelle's lips. Have they always been this appealing?

She blinks her eyes closed for a second of respite, to center herself. That damned kiss is still on her mind and she finds herself thinking more about it ever since she'd moved back. Why did Villanelle not mention it? Did it mean nothing to her?

In the moment Eve has been distracted, Villanelle strikes, as quick as a snake.

Eve finds herself falling to the ground with a yelp. She tries to slip out of Villanelle's grip only to end up playing right into it. “You cheater!” Eve cries out. “You caught me off guard!”

“Not my fault you weren't paying attention,” Villanelle grunts out as they shift on the carpet trying to one up each other, the rough fabric prickling their skin. “You'll need more skill if you want to win against me.”

Villanelle holds Eve in a grapple hold from behind. Kinda like a hug. It's not too tight because she doesn't want to seriously hurt the human, but it's just enough tight that it should keep Eve from moving around too much. But Eve is much faster than Villanelle anticipates. As Villanelle is locking into place her hold, Eve lifts up her left shoulder, unbalancing the hold so that Villanelle has no choice but to move her body with the motion. This leaves Eve's right shoulder more fully operational and her right arm having more range of motion. Which is why she draws it back and elbows Villanelle right in the ribs. As Villanelle lets out a gasp of air, more out of surprise than pain, Eve also rears her head back, given the freedom to do so from Villanelle's loosened grip and rams it into Villanelle's face.

This time the gasp is from pain and as her vision swims with bright lights, Eve snakes her way out of Villanelle's hold, the blonde focusing instead on grabbing her bleeding nose, before Eve flips around and pushes Villanelle right onto her back on the ground, straddling her hips to pin her down, before snatching her arms up and wrenching them above her head.

“Hows that for skill?” Eve is breathing a bit hard from exertion. Villanelle could see that Eve was not to be underestimated now and she was fool not to have noticed before.

“You got me,” she chuckled, a bit sheepishly as her nose continued to throb. She can feel the slowing flow of blood down her lips and chin. Oh she really hoped she hadn't stained her shirt.

“I did,” Eve says, looking down at Villanelle with satisfaction. Proud satisfaction.

The look sent a thrill through Villanelle. So Eve did have some hidden darkness inside her. How tantalizing. That could be exponent. “And what are you going to do to fix it?” Villanelle teases.

Eve arches a brow, but doesn't balk down from this challenge. Instead, she surprises both of them by leaning in and kissing the tip of Villanelle's nose very softly, almost like a butterfly has landed on Villanelle. “Kiss the pain to make it go away,” she says as she pulls back.

Villanelle looks up at her, eyes wide. She would already heal naturally due to her powers. She wouldn't need the kiss. But it's...it's done something to her and she doesn't know what. She can feel a sliding hotness going from her stomach to her chest, lodging there and staying ferociously in place.

If Eve is flustered by her own impulsive actions, she doesn't act it. Her eyes stay firmly on the nose and not Villanelle's eyes or her mouth. “Look, it's already stopped bleeding. I'll get you ice though. Don't want it to swell.” And she gets up to go get it.

Villanelle lays on the floor, the feeling in her chest newfound and confusing her. It feels like a weight, pinning her down. It's why she gets up a good few moments after Eve lets go. And why she probably looks a bit disoriented. Eve is hurrying back with a wet towel and some ice.

“Sit on the couch,” she instructs and Villanelle flops down onto it. With rough but caring motions, Eve towels the blood away and then places the ice on Villanelle's nose. “I didn't mean to hurt you,” she says, and it's not an apology. Villanelle likes that even better. She hates apologies.

“You didn't. Nothing I can't recover from.”

“Are you sure? Your ego might be in fractures now and your beautiful face is ruined. How will you ever recover?” Eve teases.

“I'll live,” Villanelle grins back. “Now, shall we continue? I wanna win my honor back.”

“If you can,” Eve states.

* * *

The next day has Eve taking Villanelle to dinner as a thank you for being so kind to her as to offer a spot at her house. The both of them are still slightly sore from their impromptu fighting session but Villanelle had been surprised to see Eve could keep up with her. They had ended the night with the score even between them. Perhaps a second session could prove Villanelle the victor?

They settle down at a reserved table at the best Indian restaurant in town, according to Eve. Villanelle will take her word for it.

“And I'm paying for the meal, so don't even try anything,” Eve warns, wagging a finger at Villanelle. Villanelle chuckles, “sure if you insist so, but really, you don't have to thank me for helping you. It's what any friend would do.” She picks up the menu. “What do you recommend here?”

Eve shoots off some good dishes and when the waiter comes, Villanelle orders for them. They've just had their menus taken back when a voice calls out, “Eve?”

Eve tenses up in front of Villanelle, and doesn't turn to look in the direction of the voice, until, “Eve, that is you!”

A man with a mustache and with a woman on his arms approaches their table.

“Oh, Niko, hello,” she says, offering up a smile that is faked and doesn't reach her eyes.

Villanelle eyes the two of them. There is clearly some history between them.

“Glad to see you've finally got yourself together,” he comments. “Gemma and I were worried about the state you were in.” He patted the woman's hand and she offered a condescending nod.

“Yes, we were.” Gemma adds on unnecessarily.

Eve's hands are wrinkling up the napkin in front of her; she doesn't seem to be aware she's doing that. Everything about this interaction is rubbing Villanelle wrong. There is malice in it; she's attuned to such things so there is no doubt about it. What happened between them?

“Well, thank you for your concern but it wasn't needed,” she replies with. “If you don't mind, I'm trying to enjoy dinner with my friend.”

At this, the couple look at Villanelle. “I wasn't aware she had any friends. She's always too busy working,” he chuckles as if this should be funny and holds out a hand to shake with Villanelle. The blonde picks up her glass of water, wishing it was wine instead for the dramatic flair, but it'll have to do. She tries to affect a casual disregard for the people in front of her even if she feels way too invested in this interaction.

“And I wasn't aware you could even get a girlfriend with that mustache. Looks like someone stuck some hair on a piece of fudge.” Her teeth are barely hidden behind her lips and she has to clutch the table edge to keep her temper under control. Eve's eyes go wide but she doesn't say anything. Niko too is stunned enough to drop his hand. Gemma doesn't seem to quite get the atmosphere.

“Oh, I'm not his girlfriend anymore. I'm his fiance, soon to be wife,” she exclaims in excitement, waving her hand to show off the ring on it.

“Congratulations,” Villanelle says sarcastically. “Enjoy it while you can.”

“Ummmm,” now Gemma seems to sense the tone of Villanelle's voice. “Okay...” she looks to Niko uncertainly.

“Well, I would say it was nice to see you but it really wasn't. I would love it if you could leave me and Eve alone now,” Villanelle added and Niko nodded his head, thinning his lips.

“Alright then. Goodbye,” and he tugged Gemma along hurriedly.

Eve makes a scoff which sounds amused, as she puts her hands on the table. “Villanelle what was that?” she sounds delighted. Villanelle is still seething internally.

“What did he do to you?” she asks and mentally curses when her Russian accent infects her faked accent. Eve doesn't notice.

“Oh, I don't know if I want to talk about it-”

“Please,” Villanelle interrupts, sitting up.

Eve seems taken aback by her insistence. “Um, okay. He and I...we used to date. But I broke up with him because he ended up becoming a manipulative and abusive asshole.”

The glass crackles in Villanelle's hand, threatening to break. She relaxes her grip on it. “He hurt you?”

“He only yelled at me. Nothing physical.”

Their dishes arrive but Villanelle is too pissed off to be hungry. She's thinking of ways to get to him, something that will satisfy the way she feels so hurt that Eve had to put up with a shit bag like him. But then again, what did she care? Wasn't she here only to focus on Eve? And not on some asshole like Niko? A cool hand over hers brings her out of her tormented thoughts.

“Villanelle, don't be upset.”

“I'm not.”

“You are.”

Villanelle sighs and slips back into her seat. “He just....where does he get off talking to you like that.”

“It's fine, it's all in the past,” Eve picks up her fork. “Come, let's eat. I'm hungry. And I want to hear your opinion on this food.”

Eve is trying to lighten the mood and the most Villanelle can do is to try to enjoy it. This was supposed to be a date and yet, the atmosphere was ruined. This was supposed to Villanelle's prime time in seducing Eve and now she couldn't because her game was thrown off. No, he was going to pay for it. And she finally had an idea how. Smiling, she let a good mood fill her.


	8. Going to Cuuuuba!

Finding a specific human was like looking for a needle in a hay stack. It was why Villanelle had to employ the help of some demon information systems to get what she needed to hunt down Gemma and Niko. Of course, she didn't waste time on it personally. She instead summoned Nadia from hell to do her bidding.

Nadia was all but too eager to do that, no doubt expecting a sexual favor from Villanelle in reward. Villanelle all but rolled her eyes at this expectation. She was solely dedicated to Eve now. No room for other women or demons until she could get what she needed to get done.

In the meantime as Nadia prowled the streets, Villanelle was able to more freely spend time with Eve, and her friends.

“Oo, it's the hot scary lawyer lady,” Elena said and stood up to introduce herself when Villanelle walked into their office with a swagger like she owned the place. Which she could if she wanted to. It wasn't that difficult to fake money and have some old woman sign over the deed for satisfying a fantasy or two. “Elena Felton, because Eve is never going to introduce us,” she said pointedly, side eyeing Eve.

Eve scoffed and shook her head. “Villanelle, what are you doing in here? Who let you in?”

“The door?” Villanelle questioned, causing Elena to snort.

“She's funny too. I like her Eve.”

“Thanks,” Eve mumbled, “though it's not like I need your validation.”

“I'm Bill, Eve's best friend,” Bill said, popping up over his cubicle wall.

“I'm Kenny,” Kenny waved over from his chair.

“And I'm Hugo,” Hugo stood up from his seat, no doubt having spotted Villanelle's beauty and wanting to make a move on her. Too bad for him, that she was into women. And would probably take no shit from him, even as he brushed back his hair, trying to put on a cocky grin.

“What is this chatter? Why aren't you working?” Carolyn strode out of her office, pulling her glasses off of her face to better glare at them disapprovingly.

“Relax, it's five minutes to their lunch break,” Villanelle said and they all hissed in pain under their breath at the mistake Villanelle was making at addressing Carolyn like this.

“Five minutes they could use to be productive.”

“I see you still are a slave driver.”

“And you haven't aged a day you sly dog,” Carolyn said as Villanelle smiled at her.

“And you have. You look like a mummy.”

“Come in, let's have a quick catch up, shall we?” Carolyn lead the way to her office as they all watched in shock. Elena was the first one to break the silence once the door shut.

“How do they know each other?”

Inside the office, Villanelle could very well hear their chatter on what this all meant. They could keep their speculations; none would ever guess the true reason.

“It's been a while,” Carolyn said, sitting down behind her desk and analyzing Villanelle who sat calmly in front of her. “I would offer you tea but it's frankly sad the quality of it.”

“I don't drink tea anyways,” Villanelle said.

“Forty years, gone by in a blink,” Carolyn hummed. “I thought they sent you down there for good.”

“No, they needed me to do something else,” Villanelle plays with the paper weight on Carolyn's desk, shifting it from hand to hand. It's a cat of all things. Villanelle hates cats.

Carolyn casts a look at the door, guessing. “It's Eve, isn't it.”

“Yes.”

“Thank god it's not Kenny,” Carolyn lets out a sigh of relief and doesn't notice Villanelle wincing at the utterance of god. “I was worried after everything-”

“No, we've changed up our polices lately. Figured we should go more modern. Besides, he's a bit of a snowflake. We don't tend to go for those types.”

“No, just old hags like me,” Carolyn exhaled through her nose, putting her glasses back on. Villanelle sets the cat weight down; it's now a little demon with a pitchfork. “I suppose that's all I really needed to know.”

“Nice talk,” Villanelle gets up. “I'll catch up with you in about...” she runs through a mental catalog. “Twenty years.”

“Better than I had guessed.”

“Unless you really missed me, you can continue your heavy drinking habits,” Villanelle adds and then leaves the room as Carolyn goes back to work. “Alright,” the blonde demon announces to Eve's curious friends. “Who wants lunch? I'm paying.”

They all scramble to get their coats.

* * *

They end up going to one of the fancier restaurants in town. Villanelle will have no problem splurging here. She knows money and food go hand in hand in buying over people. The food doesn't arrive fast enough however, to field off the questions Eve has.

“Do you know Carolyn?”

Villanelle scoffs. “Eve I am a lawyer,” Villanelle said like this should be obvious. “Media companies face many law suits. I used to represent them before I traded for a different law direction.”

“That's sort of amazing,” Elena gushed. “The way you talked back to her and she didn't even bat an eye. If we did that we'd be toast by now.”

“She'd have all our bollucks,” Bill added.

“She's not that bad,” Villanelle shrugs, reaching for the complimentary chips. “I like people I can argue with.”

This makes everyone roar with laughter at the table. “Of course you would. It's what you get paid to do,” Eve says, biting back a grin.

Food arrives, and they talk in between bites, Villanelle regaling them with wild tales of law cases she supposedly dealt with even though she'd read these off of a reddit for crazy law suits. When the dessert comes, she excuses herself to the restroom, spending some time admiring her satisfying reflection before heading out.

Villanelle was just coming back from the bathroom when she saw Kenny standing in the narrow and dark hallway there.

“You know, I looked you up after I saw you being friendly with mum. She's got all types of dodgy people on her contacts list, which I try to keep her away from because well....I care for her and I don't want her getting hurt again. Imagine when I got to find you in the law company you supposedly work for and I don't find anyone there under your name.” Kenny spoke and though his voice trembled, he was bravely facing her. “In fact, I can't find you anywhere.”

Villanelle stared at him, hands deep in her pockets as she waited for him to finish. It was a shame. She really didn't want to hurt any of Eve's friends. She hadn't expected one of them to be so invested in her and she could not have this.

She took two threatening steps towards him and he backed up into the wall. Though he was taller than her, she was bigger in this moment.

“What are you after, Kenny? Money, power, fame?”

“Wh-what are you talking about?” he blubbered, pinned flat to the wall like he could melt with it.

Her voice is slow, slipping into it's natural Russian tones like a hand slipping into a well worn glove. “Your mother wanted something from me, so I granted it. So tell me, what is it that your heart desires?” she tip toed fingers up his chest, feeling with satisfaction the racing heat underneath.

“I don't-I don't understand,” he said, voice going high pitched.

“Hm, you mortals never do when it comes down to the things that matter,” she stepped back, letting him breath. “Think about it. And before you tell anyone about me, maybe consider the things I could offer you before you decide to turn me down and spill my secrets.”

She turns on her heel and leaves, knowing his curiosity will prove a better stopgap than anything else she could have done in that moment. Besides, she does want him alive if only for Eve's sake.

* * *

His curiosity is strong, for he calls her the following night and she arrives at his apartment on the morning of a warm Saturday. Stupid of him to invite her to his own house. He should have asked her over somewhere more public least she try to hurt him. He must think she wouldn't, which was foolish.

She rings the door to his unimpressive flat and waits for him to buzz her in before she goes up the stairs and to the room he's in. He stands in front of her in fuzzy socks and a shirt and shorts combo. He stares at her for a long time, unsure what to do as she teeters in her heeled boots, wearing a plain suit. No use wasting an outfit on him.

“So.....” she drawls, popping her mouth. “Are you just going to stare at me or what-” she doesn't even bother to hide her Russian this time. He sighs and goes to sit down on a ratty excuse for a couch.

“This is...bollucks,” he rubbed his face. “What-who are you?”

“No, you had it right the first time. What am I, and to that I answer you, I am a demon.” She raised her hands above her head in a ta-dah gesture.

He stares blankly at her. “A demon.”

“Yes.”

He continues staring before he exhales and rubs his face longer this time around. “So let's say....demons do exist, what is it you want from me?”

“It's not what I want from you, but what you want from me.”

“I have blackmail on you, that you don't want me sharing.”

“That is true, but in all honesty if I didn't want anyone knowing about it I would just get rid of you,” she said easily, pulling an apple off of his fruit stand that was on his coffee table and crunching into it loudly.

He gave her an uneasy glance, shifting in his seat like it was hot.

“Um, so you would grant me anything then? Anything I want?”

“Yes, that is what a demon contract typically is.” Though she hadn't planned to enter one with him. He was too innocent for her tastes. She would get little use from his soul. And she had told Carolyn she wouldn't....but surely the woman would understand given the circumstances.

“And what, you want my soul in exchange?”

“Yes. What else would I get out of this.”

“But then I would die-”

“No, you wouldn't. You'd still be alive but you would be different. Your emotions would be duller and you wouldn't care about things. Which isn't so bad really. Your mother certainly gained a lot from it.”

Kenny paled at this, suddenly understanding his mother's blase attitude towards him most of her life. “What did she want from you?” he asks in a soft faint voice.

“What every person wants,” Villanelle said with a shrug, playing with a clock on his mantle. He really needed better décor tastes for his apartment. “Power to achieve that what they otherwise humanely can't.”

Kenny licked his lips. “What if I told you to reveal the truth to Eve as part of the contract. Would you have to do that?”

“You would really trade your soul over something like that?” Villanelle scoffed though she did have to give him credit for having bigger balls than she had previously thought.

“And if I don't accept your contract?”

“You don't have to enter a contract with me. But I will insist you keep your mouth shut, or else...” So, he was one of those. Strong enough to avoid temptation.

“This is insane. Are you on drugs or something? Thinking you're a bloody demon- does Eve know about this? About your delusions?”

“I sure hope she doesn't otherwise it would make it hard for me to do what I need to do.”

He rose up from his seat. “You are not going to hurt her.”

“Oh, this won't hurt her. She'll love it in fact,” Villanelle offered up a charming grin.

“Whatever you're planning you can't actually do it. And you won't hurt me, because if you do my mother will stop you,” he said, and took out his phone to dial Eve. He suddenly yelped as it exploded in his hand, charring the skin there. It clattered to the floor where Villanelle stepped on it with her heel, delivering the final blow. “Oops,” she said not at all apologetic.

“What are you-” he scowled as she backed him up to the wall. He was scared. She could smell it on him, rising up like vapors. He could pretend to be brave all he liked but he knew something was off about her. It was goody-goody's like him that always did.

“People like me are rotten to the core, Kenny,” she said showing him the apple in her hand. Where she had taken a bite of it, maggots now writhed in the flesh. He gulped. “If you think I was joking before, I wasn't. And you know that. Which is why you're being real stupid right now.” She elongated the word stupid to let him marinate on the word and it's implications. “I don't want to hurt you because Eve would get upset, and I don't want to upset her. But, I think you won't stop getting in my way unless I do something about it. You clearly won't accept a contract with me, so we don't have anything to offer to the other.”

“And what-what are you going to do?” he stammered.

She smirked as she stepped back, allowing her eyes to turn fully black. “I think you're going to go on a long, long vacation, Kenny.”

* * *

Eve surprisingly did not hear from Villanelle over the weekend. That was shocking, considering the woman texted her almost each day. Had Eve done something to offend her? She considered asking but figured she might be over reacting. Instead she focused on going to work, sure she would hear back from Villanelle at some point.

“Hey, where's Kenny?” Eve questioned as she set her stuff down on her desk, noting his empty cubicle. He was here before her each day. Had something happened?

“I don't know. I texted him and he never responded,” Elena stated, shrugging.

“Did you ask his mom?”

Elena shook her head no. “You can ask her.”

Eve huffed. Seemed it would be up to her to face the dragon. But she cared too much about Kenny not to do so. She knocked on Carolyn's closed door, getting a 'come in' almost immediately. She opened it to find Carolyn typing away on her phone. “Just a second,” she said, finishing up her message before clicking her phone closed and looking up. “How can I help you, Eve.”

“It's about Kenny. I'm just worried about him,” Eve said, suddenly feeling juvenile with her concerns. She fiddled with her hands as she waited for Carolyn's response.

“Kenny is a grown man. I'm sure he can take care of himself.”

“It's just that....well, he's not here, in the office. And he didn't text back when we asked him if he was okay.” Nothing from Carolyn. “Doesn't that concern you?”

“Kenny is on vacation,” Carolyn reported casually.

“Vacation?” Eve blurts out, not believing this. “Why didn't he say anything-”

“It was quite sudden, illness in the family. He wanted to go be with them while he still could,” Carolyn stood up, which meant Eve was excused. “Back to work. I'm sure he's fine.”

Eve was shocked by the disregard Carolyn was showing but she couldn't say much else without angering her boss. As she got up, a red statue caught her eye. It was a little demon with a pitchfork used as a paper weight. Had Carolyn always had that?

When she exited the office, Bill and Elena were staring at her, awaiting to hear the news. Eve sighed and plopped down into her chair.

“So?” Elena whispered loudly. “What's the news?”

“He's on vacation,” Eve said, careful so Carolyn wouldn't over hear her.

“Vacation?” Bill questioned. “All of a sudden?”

“I know,” Eve said. “But Carolyn didn't want to talk more about it.”

“Reckon she's hiding something? Like Kenny having to get an embarrassing surgery?” Elena suggested.

Eve worked at the hangnail on her thumb. “I don't know. Something's not adding up.” And it wouldn't give her any peace or quiet, not even when Villanelle showed up again to invite them for a paid lunch once more.

While Bill, Elena and Villanelle all laughed about an absurd law case she had had, Eve worried about Kenny. He had behaved weirdly ever since their lunch on Thursday. He looked spooked, nervous. And he kept looking over at Eve. Did this have something to do with her?

Time to put her reporter skills to use and find where Kenny had really gone.


	9. She's Just a Gal Pal

A ringing on Villanelle's door at seven in the morning woke her up. She rolled out of bed with a sigh, not liking her beauty sleep to be disturbed. But she knew it was Nadia with vital information that Villanelle could not pass up. She hastily tied on a robe and walked down, taking her sweet time so that she could get a petty revenge for this early wake up call by making Nadia wait to be greeted.

Villanelle opened the door and leaned against the frame, knowing the effect she had on Nadia. The young demon's eyes opened wide and she swallowed, before dragging her eyes up to Villanelle's eyes and not on her silky thighs. Those were reserved for Eve now.

“I found them. I found this Niko and Gemma that you are hunting for,” Nadia reported. It was like getting a present; Villanelle could not hold back her smile.

“Wonderful!” Villanelle clapped her hands together. “Tell me where and I can get right on it.” She would teach that shit hole of an ex on what happened when you messed with the wrong woman. And in this case, Villanelle didn't know if she meant herself or Eve. Her emotions were muddled these days. She tried not to think about it. Just about having fun and getting the job done.

“So, did I do good?” Nadia questioned and if she'd been a dog her tail would be wagging.

“That remains to be seen. I have to go to where they are first, do I not?” she asked and Nadia nodded her head in understanding as Villanelle shooed her away. Then she slammed the door shut and got dressed. She brewed herself some death coffee first. It was made from the essence of death's darkness itself and it always left her with a high, giving her an extra edge to her day.

By the time she had finished half her cup, there was another knock on her door. She thought it was Nadia, come back for more. She went to reprimand her on the virtues of patience. But to her surprise it was Eve. Villanelle wished she had worn a better outfit. But she had only put on some boyfriend jeans and a loose colorful button down top because she didn't want to waste a good outfit on the ex.

“Oh, Eve, hello,” Villanelle said, not certain why Eve was here. Normally Eve didn't show up like this.

“Hi, sorry. I hope I'm not bothering you or anything from going to work,” Eve said. She looked a bit out of sorts and like she hadn't been sleeping again. Was this about Kenny?

“I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions.”

“Of course. What would you like to know?” Villanelle closed the door behind her. “If you don't mind, could we walk. I have to meet with a client.”

“Yes, we can do that,” Eve nodded and they walked down the sidewalk at a languid pace, Villanelle hands in her pockets.

“What would you like to ask me?”

“This is about Kenny.”

So, it was about him.

“What about him? Don't tell me you have feelings for him.”

Eve shook her head, giving a brief bark of laughter, like she was genuinely surprised someone could think that of her. “What- no, it's nothing like that.” She sobered up. “It's actually about....well he just up and disappeared. And I don't know what to do.”

Villanelle let her eyebrows climb up to her hairline. “Disappeared?” she fakes shock. “What do you mean? Was he attacked?”

“That's the thing. I don't know,” Eve bit her bottom lip. “I talked to all my friends. They've heard nothing from him that indicated maybe he got mixed up with the wrong people. And his mother....even his mother doesn't seem to know anything. Or if she does, she doesn't care. She just told me he was on vacation.”

“And you think I can help you?” Villanelle asked. “How could I do that? I barely know Kenny.”

“I dunno. I thought, maybe if you heard anything from him. Or that you could use your contacts to get some feelers out there. I've been looking all week long but I can't seem to find any leads. It's like he's vanished into thin air.”

Villanelle stopped suddenly. “I'm sorry this happened. I can tell you really cared for him,” she rubbed Eve's shoulder. “And I'll see what I can find. Have you gone to the police?”

“Not yet. I don't want to make this into a whole deal. Carolyn will flip.”

“I'll let you know if I find anything.” And they parted on those words. Villanelle had no intention of finding Kenny because she did not need him getting in her way. And it wasn't like he was suffering. She'd made sure he had a comfortable enough spot if only because he was Carolyn's son and Eve's friend and she did not want to make either of them too upset. It was Carolyn who had even suggested the location herself.

Villanelle and Eve separate ways and Villanelle whistles merrily under her breath as she teleports to where Niko and Gemma both live. This early in the morning, they should just be getting ready to go to work. Smiling gleefully, she already has it planned out what she will do to them.

* * *

A bucket of cold water splashed in Niko's face, causing him to cough and wake up rudely. He blinked water out of his eyes and raised his hands to wipe at them, only to find them tied up. “What the fuck is happening?” he bellowed as he looked down and saw he was strapped to a chair. Gemma was next to him, also unconscious and tied up. They were in a storage room. His storage room.

His head throbbed where he had been hit. Who had done this to him?

Another bucket of cold water. This time on Gemma's head, soaking her hair and making it stick to her face. She coughed awake, the person with the bucket staying behind them so he couldn't get a good look at them.

“Who are you? What do you want from us?” Niko cried out, struggling against his bonds.

“Niko....” Gemma blinked, finding they were no longer in the car they took to work. “Niko what is going on?”

“Release us now,” he yelled at whoever it was that had taken them.

“I don't think so,” the voice said and Villanelle finally stood out in front of them, hands in pockets. They stared at her, not expecting this. She stared at them right back. “This is fun, isn't it?” she urged, giving a small chuckle. “Just me, you, and your whore, where no one can hear us.”

“You're that friend. Of Eve's,” Niko said slowly, working things out.

Villanelle suddenly shot her hands right up into the air, yelling loudly, “bingo!”

It startled them both because they jerked back against their chairs.

“What do you want from us? What did we do to you?” Gemma asked.

“Oh, you did nothing to me,” Villanelle said with a shrug. “I just thought this would be fun. Not for you two, though. Sorry,” she made a cringe face at them.

The gravity of the situation seemed to sink into them. “Why are you doing this?” Gemma started sobbing.

“Is this for Eve? Is that why? Did she send you?” Niko demanded, trying to affect bravery up until his last moment.

“I am offended,” Villanelle said with some disgust. “I am not doing this for Eve. I am doing this for myself.”

“Why,” Niko asked.

“Why not?”

“Please, if there's no real reason to do this-”

“There is,” Villanelle cut in. “Your screaming would please me greatly, and let me work out some of that tension inside me.” She took out another chair from the side, sitting on it backwards, resting her hands on the back. “Do you know, how frustrating my job is?” she asked.

Niko and Gemma exchanged looks, as if by keeping her talking maybe they could reason their way out of this. “How- how is it frustrating?” Niko spoke as Gemma kept sobbing, but more quietly.

Villanelle let out an exaggerated puff of air, rolling her eyes. “It's unbelievable,” she said, taking out a pocketknife and playing with it. The couple's eyes watched it warily. “I'm on a mission in the human world to hunt down Eve. To send her to hell, you know. But everything seems to be getting in the way! First it was another demon, who naturally I killed off,” she waved a hand dismissively. “But then when I tried to go after her again, her guardian angel, who I still don't know who it is, tricked me into drinking holy water. You have no idea how painful that is. It's like swallowing the sun.” Niko and Gemma's eyebrows rose. They were both thinking the same thing. That this woman was delusional.

“And then, I had to get rid of her best friend because he was onto me. It's like I barely have anytime to be with her. And I need to do my job, otherwise I won't get my promotion,” she concluded.

“You could always try talking to her,” Gemma advised hesitantly through a stuffy nose.

Villanelle placed the tip of the blade on her chin as she pretend to consider this. “No, I don't think so. If I told her I was there for her soul, it would defeat the purpose. But, I'm glad I ran into you at that dinner. If you'd been a smidgen nicer to her, I might not have considered taking out my frustrations on you. But,” at this a careless shrug. She stood up from her chair, both of them shouting out different variations of no.

“Don't do it. We'll give you money,” Niko said.

“We're sorry we were mean to Eve!” Gemma added on.

Villanelle pointed her blade at Niko, then Gemma. “Hm, I don't know who to go after first.” A lightbulb went up over her head. “I know! I can carve up Niko so you watch Gemma, leaving him alive just long enough to watch me carve up you!”

Both of them shook their heads and screamed out in rejection of this idea but she only edged closer with the knife.

* * *

Villanelle was in a good mood when she returned back to the apartment. She even sang a little under her breath as she burned the remains of her bloodied clothes, and showered off the red liquid coating her skin. Freshly washed, she went downstairs, only to find Nadia down there, laying on her couch.

“I'm awaiting my reward for the job well done,” Nadia said, naked. She smiled like this was an occasion to smile for.

Villanelle swallowed down her irritation. “I never promised you sex for doing this.”

Nadia's face fell and before she could answer, the doorbell rang. Villanelle went to go answer it, wondering who it was. She hadn't invited Eve over for dinner, so it couldn't be her. But it was her, and Villanelle opened up the door to the surprised woman's face. She'd never seen Villanelle in a bathrobe before and her expression mimicked the one of Nadia's earlier in the day, with the exception that Villanelle liked Eve's appreciation a whole lot more.

“Yes?” she nearly purred. And wanted to lean on the doorframe to show off her cleavage more. Eve's eyes went up and to her side, and her face red.

Nadia stood naked behind Villanelle, not that Villanelle was aware of it until Eve went “oh my god,” and flushed, averting her eyes. Villanelle and Nadia collectively recoiled at the term but the blonde turned with a snarl on her lips at Nadia, for doing this, for showing up naked. Already Eve was leaving.

“Sorry, you're busy I'll come back another time,” and she nearly threw herself down the stairs to avoid confrontation.

Villanelle just glared at Nadia hands on her hips. Her stare was smoldering and Nadia realized she had done something wrong, even if she had merely wanted to look at who had been at the door. Rage welled up in Villanelle because now Eve might get the wrong idea that Villanelle was dating someone. She might get mad at Villanelle, jealous of her lover. Villanelle hadn't wanted that-....wait a second. Or did she?

“I have an idea!” Villanelle exclaimed loudly once Eve had left, turning to Nadia who flinched, having been worried she'd get hit or something.

“Wha-what is it?” she asked, incredibly jumpy for a demon.

“We're going to have sex, but not for real,” she said sternly, like one explaining things slowly to a child.

“Uh, okay?” Nadia questioned, lowering the hands she'd raised in order to prevent being hit too hard.

“This will make Eve jealous. And she will come to realize she likes me.”

“I thought you wanted that other woman, Gemma.”

Villanelle pulls a disgusted face. “That was just a side job. I have no more use for her. I want Eve. She is my actual job. My goal is to seduce her so she turns bad.”

“We could just have sex for real,” Nadia said and Villanelle snapped at her.

“Did you not hear what I said? Fake sex. Now, here is the plan, and you must remember it.”

Nadia nodded her head frantically and Villanelle reeled off her spiel.

* * *

“I'm sorry you didn't get to meet my new guest yesterday properly,” Villanelle said as she set the table. Eve was over for yet another dinner, Nadia situated at the table and looking awkward to the ninth circle of hell to be here. Villanelle wished Nadia could be a better actress. She hoped that the woman would at least keep to the script.

“Oh, hello,” Eve said, looking over at the mousy brunette. “I'm Eve.”

“Hello, Eve,” she said, a hint of a Russian accent.

“This is Nadia. We used to date back in college, but now she's here because she's in a bit of a rough spot and I told her she could stay while she got her footing.”

“That's very nice of you,” Eve said and Villanelle could detect no jealousy in the tone. “Actually, Villanelle I was hoping to ask you some questions.”

“Questions? About what? Nadia and I's amazing sex life?”

Eve was momentarily stymied by this. “Uh, no. about Kenny. You remember Kenny's missing, don't you.”

“Yes, I do. He's a nice boy. Quiet. Smart,” Villanelle said as she turned the stove off, the meat on it slowing it's sizzling.

“Yes, well, he's still gone.”

Villanelle turned wide eyes on Eve. “And no clue as to how? I've asked some of my friends about this, but they don't know how we could look for him if he doesn't want to be found.”

“When we went out to lunch with two Thursday's ago, did you notice anything weird.”

Villanelle tapped a finger to her chin, deep in thought. “Hm, he seemed a bit nervous to me. But, he did see my amazing face so I would not be shocked. It can make anyone nervous, or charmed,” the blonde winked.

Eve was not in the mood for Villanelle's charms. “Nothing then.” She leaned back into her seat with a forlorn sigh. Villanelle's brow furrowed. This was not supposed to happen. Now Kenny's disappearance was getting in the way of her hooking up with Eve.

Ugh! This was so frustrating.

* * *

“Do you think it worked?” Nadia asked as they watched Eve leave the house later, lost in her thoughts. Villanelle was in a foul mood.

“No, it did not work,” she snapped. “Now go.”

“Go? But-”

“You'll get your reward later. Not now. I'm not in the mood.”

Nadia nodded her head and left in a puff of green smoke. Villanelle went to her liquor cabinet and pulled out a dark tumbler full of whiskey. She poured herself a full cup and drank it all down. Then she pressed the cool glass against her forehead. What if Eve's guardian angel was somehow manipulating this to create a rift between her and Eve?

She was going to need to find them, and end them too. And then, she had to fix this Kenny situation because she had underestimated how much Eve cared for him. And her care was getting in the way of Villanelle's very important mission.

She poured another cup and drained it too.

* * *

Villanelle kept up the fancy lunches once a week with Eve and crew. Showing up today also allowed her to get a chance to speak with Carolyn.

The woman sighed when Villanelle let herself into her office.

“What now?” she asked irritably. “Something else with Kenny?”

“How can you complain about that? I sent him to Cuba. It's lovely there.”

“He also has no recollection of why he's there-”

“Trifles,” Villanelle waved a dismissive hand. “And I'll be bringing him back soon. I think his vacation time is done.”

“You could have just erased his memories of your identity,” she pointed out dryly.

“But where's the fun with that? He got a free trip out of it. Some nice clothes.”

“Why are you bringing him back?” Carolyn folded her arms on her desk.

“Don't tell me you don't want him back?”

“You know you took my feelings away. I can't ever really say what I'm feeling anymore,” was the terse reply. “But....it would be nice to see his face again.”

“Then there should be no issue. He'll back tomorrow evening. Do try to greet him like you've missed him,” Villanelle said and then went out to get the group ready for lunch. Elena was already putting her bag around her shoulder, ready for a free meal. “Everyone, good to go?”

“They have five minutes of work time left!” Carolyn called out from the door Villanelle had left open.

“You'll live!” Villanelle shot back as Bill and Eve also logged off of their computers. Hugo eyed the exchange and slicking back a curl in his hair, he rose up, jogging lightly to join them.

“Could I tag along to these fancy lunches? I'd like to get to know Eve's lawyer friend a lot better,” Hugo said.

“Could you suck a dick?” Villanelle asked, turning to face him with a wide smile.

“Ex-excuse me?” he stuttered, caught off guard.

“I asked if you could suck a dick. You harass the women in your office on a daily basis with your remarks and you think I'm going to spend my time with some scumbag like you?” she encroached on him, making him cower back in an effort to seem smaller. She was in a sour mood because of the whole Kenny and failed jealousy situation with Nadia. She did not need this short man getting in her way too.

“No-No I don-”

“I put men like you into prison for sexual harassment, so I suggest you back off before I take legal action of behalf of the women working here.”

“He also slapped my ass, does that count?” Bill put in.

“And men,” Villanelle tacked on.

“I'm...I'm sorry,” Hugo mumbled and decided to save what was left of his face by walking to the break room.


	10. How Devilishly Delicious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: ...I know it's been four months without an update. I hope the plot twist in this chapter makes up for it...

“Oksana.....Oksana....” a voice swam in her dreams, calling to her.

“I'm not her,” she mumbled out, distressed and churning in her bed.

“How little you truly know,” the voice said, and it sounded a lot like Aaron but also Konstantin.

“Go away!” she sat up in bed with a yell, finally coming awake. She found no one in her bedroom but herself. She got out of bed, checking outside the window. It was dark out and she could see no one on the sidewalk, the sound of a distant dog barking.

“He's dead,” she told herself, closing the binds. “And so is Oksana,” she crawls back into bed but sleep does not come as she hugs her pillow for comfort.

* * *

Kenny has come back. Out of the blue. Eve nearly drops her bag when she sees him back at his desk first thing in the morning. “Kenny,” she breathes out, noticing he's much tanner than before. She rushes over and hugs him as he turns his swivel chair to smile at her.

“Eve, hey, what's up?” he pushes her aside because she's smothering him.

“I just- you asshole,” she pulls away and hits him on the arm. “You didn't say anything- just leaving without telling any of us. Do you know how worried I was.”

“Er, sorry? I swear I told you. Or that mum did. Did she not?” he looked confused by all this.

“She said you had a family emergency.” Eve hits him again, this time harder. “Couldn't you have said something? Anything? Would it have killed you to do so?”

“I...I...” he frowned, deeply confused. “Sorry....I just must have zoned out and stuff. But I'll tell you all next time! Promise, just don't hit me again,” he said hastily when he saw Eve raise her hand again with angry exasperation.

Carolyn came out of her office. “Good morning Kenny. Good morning to you too, Eve,” she said in that stern, even voice of hers. “I do hope you're not trying to gain a work harassment suite.”

“No, no,” Eve looked down at Kenny to Carolyn, with mild panic and astonishment.

Carolyn looked on at Eve for a while. “Aright then,” she said shortly and left back into her office. Eve made an 'I'm watching you' motion at Kenny who put his hands up in submission.

Something still didn't make sense about Kenny's disappearance. And she wasn't just going to let it slide. She sat down behind her desk, pulling her hair into a bun so she could get to work. Villanelle sat on top of her desk, swaying her feet, crunching on an apple. No one noticed her, which was the way she liked it. The confrontation with Kenny and Eve could have gone better. Good thing Carolyn had stepped in.

Looking at Eve clacking away on a key board, it gave Villanelle an idea. Maybe it was time for her to look into Oksana. The name would not give her rest at night. And hadn't for so many nights in a row. It was as if the name was cursing her or something like that. And she had to quell her uneasy thoughts.

For now, tempting Eve could wait a bit longer. It wasn't as if it would happen quickly anyways. Whatever guardian angel was protecting Eve, was doing a good ass job because Villanelle had not succeeded yet. Normally the longest it took for her was three months. But it had already been three months and nothing.

Just the faintest hints of crumbs offered to her.

Finishing her apple, she tossed the core. It arched through the air and hit Hugo in the back of his head. He yelped out loud and grabbed his head, looking wildly on what had caused that but could not find the source. Stifling her chuckle, Villanelle rose up and went on her merry way to an internet cafe. There, she entered her name and began googling herself.

Oksana Astankovich

Facebook links popped up, and she clicked on them, wondering if any had belonged to her. But no, they were just other Russian women and she sighed and clicked away. She didn't need modern results. She needed old results.

But she had no idea when she'd been born. Time ran oddly in hell and seconds could mean months and months could mean seconds depending on what the superiors were feeling like. Nevertheless she kept looking, because she had time on her hands. She clicked on page after page, examining everything google could offer her. She even visited the last page, but found nothing that could lead to herself.

She couldn't find much- no wars started by her, no mass murders, pillages, arson, nothing. Which was fine- humans had shitty memories and they were self absorbed. Thousands of people went unnoticed each day.

It was possible she had never been anyone important enough in the human world to warrant even a single sentence in a Wikipedia article about herself.

So now what?

What could she do to gain more information about herself? Perhaps some books will provide answers to her? She wanders her way into a library, using a small spell to summon books to her hand that contain even the single word Oksana. A meager stack of a hundred books levitates towards her and she quickly vanishes them and herself onto the roof of the library so she may read there in peace and quiet. She skims quickly, finding herself yet again disappointed when she finds nothing of value there.

Perhaps she should try a bigger library? There might be more resources there?

The clock tower tolls five and she decides that will have to wait another day. She needs to get to Eve and make sure she walks home without any trouble. Villanelle teleports to outside the building, her nose wrinkling up when she catches the stench of rotting eggs. Her eyes narrow and latch onto a man in a trench-coat standing by the door, eyes trained on them.

A demon. A lower level demon. What is he doing here? What does he want?

He turns his head to her, with a soft creaking motion. It seemed he was new to making human skin and there were some parts that were just wrong. His eyes were uneven, one an inch higher than the other. His mouth was too long and his nose too short and his shoulders were hunched over.

His eyes, black as coal, latched onto her, and stayed there.

She peeled her lips back from her teeth. Oh, was he going to challenge her? She wondered about what. Was it about Eve? He leaned off the wall, coming to her with a hobbled gait. “Villanelle?” he questioned, stopping in front of her.

“What do you want?” her voice is sharp. She does not need his interference.

“The higher ups wanted me to inform you that I was to join you in your cause to seduce Eve.”

She doesn't blink, breathe, when she hears his words. Again, what is it with the higher ups wanting to interfere with her work? Do they not trust her anymore? At least they have learned better than to have someone challenge her entirely, and get rid of Eve on their own.

“Does it look like I need help?” she asks, aware that Eve is heading out the door, talking animatedly with Bill and Kenny. Villanelle had returned Kenny out of respect to Eve. Otherwise, the boy would have been kept away from her.

The lower demon, whose name she does not care to know, turns to follow her gaze. He assesses Eve, lets her pass them by without doing anything. He then turns back to Villanelle and she holds out a breath she had been holding, worried that he would lash out at Eve.

“What do you plan to do with her?”

“That's none of your business,” Villanelle said curtly and lashed out a hand, grabbing him by the throat. He gurgled but did not protest. Hard to do so, when she squeezed down and his head exploded. Gooey remains showered her and the floor. She loved lower demons. So easily destroyed without much consequence.

The higher ups could suck it. It was so insulting that they thought she needed help. No, she needed no one's help. She never did and never would. Not bothering to shower, she heads down to hell, stopping by Konstantin's office first.

She doesn't bother to knock, barging into the room with a hasty kick that rips the door off it's hinges. Konstantin jerks to, nearly dropping the skull he was decorating.

“Villanelle, don't do that!” he shouted out, fire burning in his eyes.

She sticks out her tongue at him. “Get a better hobby,” she said, slipping into her native Russian after all this time.

“This happens to be a valuable art. It preserves history and-”

Villanelle made a blabbing motion with her hand. “No one cares, old man.” She collapses onto the chair in front of his desk. Scowling, he hides the skull and the blue ink into his drawer.

“I would appreciate it if you could not get blood on my leather seats.”

“It'll come out. Human skin is versatile like that,” she waved off.

“Why are you here?”

“Can I not come and visit an old friend?”

“We, are not friends,” he told her, shaking a finger at her.

“How you wound me!” she exclaimed gleefully. “But you are right. I came here to ask you: what the fuck!”

“What the fuck what?” he grumbled, itching to go back to his skull.

“Why are demons trying to interfere with my objective again?”

“It's not your objective anymore,” he explained, tiredly. He rubbed his brows. “You failed it.”

“I did not fail it!” she hissed out, leaning forwards. “I am still working on it. She is just a tough cookie to crack.”

“I can imagine that,” he said without humor or patience for her. “Now, if you are done bothering me-”

“Make them keep away from her,” she said, standing up and slamming her hands on his desk, rattling the jars of human parts there.

“Why should I? It is best if you move on and forget her. Do another mission,” he said. “The higher ups want you to do something else for your promotion. Something more fitting.” He reached into his drawer and pulled out a file for her. She did not snatch it up.

She narrowed her eyes at him. Why did she feel like something was off? Nevertheless he was someone she still trusted, for now. “As a friend, I have to ask you-”

“I am not your friend,” he reminded her sternly.

“-do you ever not wonder about your past?”

“What do you mean?”

“Your past life. Who you were before.” She sat back down, crossed a leg over the other. The blood had dried on her face now and was beginning to itch.

He let out a loud laugh, shaking his belly with it. “Why would I worry about such things? If I am down here I was not a good person and it does me no good to think about it. I don't live in the past and so you shouldn't either.” He told her with a grin.

“Aaron told me, about my name. My human name. How did he know? Even I didn't know it,” she said plainly. He pursed his lips, almost as if debating if he should answer her this.

At last he heaved out a sigh. “I don't...I don't know your true name. So I never told him it. The only way he would find out is through a higher up or the archives.”

This is the first time she's hearing of the archives. She arches a brow so he can continue. He doesn't seem to want to continue but it's too late now. She has hooked him on this. “What are the archives.”

“I've never been to them. Nor seen them. But it is where all knowledge regarding us is held. Such as who we were in the past.”

“And how do I get to them?” she sat up, humming with determination to find this.

“I do not know.”

“Surely, someone must know. And you can ask them. For me,” she gives him her most charming smile. It's caked with red, even on her canines.

“Asking is dangerous.”

“I can make asking worth it,” she said, rubbing her fingers together.

“I have things-”

“I know you enjoy human paraphernalia. I could get you anything you wanted from the human world, fresh.” She knows she's got him. He always was a sucker for such things. And since he is bound to the underworld, unable to leave like she can, he needs others to bring him things.

He shakes his head but it's more in dismay at himself for giving in so easily. “I will see what I can do.”

“And I will get you what you want. But information first,” she says, jumping up from her seat. “Until then, friend,” and she leaves. Konstantin sighs. She's left blood on his nice chair and has broken his door. With a wave of his hand he repairs both things and then goes to pull out a cell phone from his other drawer. It's time to make some secretive calls.

Villanelle ascends back to the human world, feeling much better about things. It's night time now and her feet take her to an all familiar home. It's time to see what Eve is up to. Maybe come bother her for dinner or something of that sort. She hasn't really spoken her since their disagreement and she hopes that bringing Kenny back has put her into a good mood.

That way she will be more pliable for Villanelle to work her charms on.

Villanelle saddles her way over to Eve's window, keeping herself hidden with her magic. The woman was working on a meal, looking a bit lost in thought as she chopped onions. There was a loud hiss and she dropped the knife.

Eve hissed once more as she stared at the huge and angry cut on her hand. Then, more out of habit than anything else, she cast wary glances over her shoulder, almost as if guilty or afraid of doing this. Grasping her other hand over the cut, she heals it. A brief golden glow erupts from the touch and when she removes her hand, her other hand is healed and cleaned of all blood.

What she doesn't know is that Villanelle was outside her window, watching in. She had seen that. And her stomach twisted up.

“Oh, you've got to be shitting me,” Villanelle said in outrage, eyes going wide as she took Eve in from an entirely new perspective. “She's an angel?! An ANGEL??!!”


	11. Things Unravel, or the Handbasket to Hell

Villanelle doesn't think, she just acts.

One of her many flaws, really. Because sometimes it's best to think things through rather than just react. But this is kind of a big deal. How could she not react? How could she do anything but take action.

She bursts into Eve's home, slamming the door open and startling the woman who drops her knife with a clatter to the counter. Her eyes open wide when she sees who it is. Villanelle, covered in dried blood and guts from before.

“What is going on!” she loudly exclaims. “Have you been hurt?”

“H-hurt?” Villanelle chokes, because she had been so focused on other things that she forgot about the blood. She looks down now and sees it but decides it doesn't even matter. Not anymore.

“All that blood-”

“That's not important right now. Eve, you're a fucking angel!” she barks out and Eve quiets down. Her face becomes unreadable. The few feet between them yawn apart like miles. Villanelle is breathing hard, heart pumping in her chest. What happens now?

Eve tsks, looks away. She sucks her lips in, breathes out. She turns to Villanelle. “Yes.”

Villanelle is about to lose her shit all over again at this declaration but manages to hold on by a thread. “How- why-just?” she shakes her head, all her convictions shaken. What is happening now? What is she to do? She wants to shake Eve, throttle her a little.

“But it's not like I'm the only one guilty of hiding things,” Eve says, voice cold and neutral now. Villanelle licks her lips. Finds them tasting of copper. “You knew I was a demon?”

Eve nods her head absently. “Yes. The whole time. Once I actually bothered to pay attention to you.”

“But...but you let me get close to you. Sleep in your house?” Villanelle registers something suddenly, like a bolt of lightening down her back. “Wait- What does that mean?!”

Eve chuckles. “You're not the first demon that's come up to tempt me. But you are the most tenacious. Most would have given up by now and tried to kill me.”

“I thought...I thought I was the only one?” Villanelle feels betrayed. “Wait, did you say _kill_ you?”

“Yes.”

“But the mission is to make you turn evil.”

Eve shrugs, this clearly not making a difference to her. “They couldn't hack it. So they tried to kill me, so I had to kill them to get rid of them and eh,” she sighed, “it got all very tiring and redundant. I tried to give you an easy out by playing dumb but you are so much more...human than the rest of them.”

Villanelle pulls an offended face. “Human? I am not human! I am one of the best tormentors down there. I am proud to be a demon!”

Eve gives Villanelle a tired look. “If that makes you feel better, I'll let you think that.”

Villanelle scoffs. This is not the way she figured this conversation would go.

“What am I supposed to do now?” she whined, feeling stuck in between. She is lost. Adrift in her immortality.

“I'm already a fallen angel, Villanelle. I'm by definition, fallen because I am evil. Because I sinned.” Eve explains calmly.

Rage swells up inside Villanelle once more. She can feel it burning through her veins. “Those fucking assholes!” she shrills out. They had sent her to fail! So that Eve could kill her! That was what their plan had been. “Promotion my ass!” she screams out and in a swirl of black smoke is gone.

Eve stands there a bit longer, her food burning on the stove. But she doesn't care about that right now. She had known about Villanelle's true nature for a while now, so why does she feel so bad? She shakes her head. It's nothing.

Nothing important she needs to concern herself with.

* * *

It's barely been an hour since Villanelle last visited him, but yet again she's back in his office, this time storming in in a rage.

“You had me trying to kill a fallen angel!” she roars and before he can think to act she is on him. “You lied to me!” Her words are garbled and he struggles to make sense of them.

“Villanelle I swear it, I did not know!” Konstantin says as Villanelle's hands wrap around his throat. They squeeze, tighter and tighter, until he feels his eyes might pop. “Please....I did not know....”

With a growl she throws him to the side, raking a hand through her hair. He stumbles and gasps for air. He rubs his throat. What is going on?

“I found out.....Eve is an angel,” she says, sucking in her bottom lip. She feels intensely betrayed. Confused. Angry. So many things at once. There had never been a guardian angel. It had been Eve protecting herself with her own magic. She must have been the one to put that holy water inside the wine all that time ago. Sneaky little angel.

“Oh. She's one?” Konstantin's bushy eyebrows rise up in shock.

“A fallen one at it too,” Villanelle scowls. “The higher ups were trying to get me killed. But why?”

“Do they ever really need a reason,” Konstantin groused. “Hell may no longer be safe for you. I wouldn't suggest coming back here.”

She turned to him, this time grabbing him by his lapels. He flinched but she did not hurt him. “Then that is all the more reason for you to find out what you need about the archives. Maybe that will explain something to me.” She would love nothing more than to fight the higher ups. Destroy them for trying to hurt her. But she knew better than to do that.

No, she had to take her revenge but at another time. Right now, she needed to learn more about Eve. What was she going to do with her? Villanelle was now without purpose. Would the angel killer now that the truth had come out?

“I will help as best as I can,” Konstantin told her. “But I cannot promise much.”

Villanelle numbly nodded her head. She needed time to think now. To process all this. She stormed out of his room and he watched her go, rubbing his neck.

Villanelle spent the rest of the week holed up in her room, lying on bed, thinking. She felt no hunger, no sleep pains. She didn't need any of those anyways. She just did them to fit in better into the human world. What was she to do now? The earth had been yanked from beneath her very feet and she was left shocked. Directionless.

And she kept expecting Eve to come and fight her. But the woman never did.

Eventually, at the end of the week, Villanelle found her way to Eve's house. Without bothering to knock, she let herself in, finding Eve sitting on the couch, watching Sunday morning TV. The woman did not look the least bit shocked to see her there.

“Finally come around?” Eve asked, mouth full of cereal.

Villanelle scoffed. “I have questions,” she said, shoving her hands into her pants pockets.

“Fire away.”

Villanelle opened her mouth and closed it. She had questions, she just didn't know how to ask them. Eve saw her floundering and patted the space on the couch next to her. Villanelle sat down once she discerned it was not a trap.

“An angel and a demon sitting next to each other,” Villanelle mumbled. “An odd sight we must be.”

“Why care. I don't.” Eve shrugged, watching TV. Villanelle watched with her. It was news. Boring.

“I don't know what to do anymore. Are you going to fight me?” Villanelle asked her.

“Should I?”

“You killed the other demons your way.”

“Because they tried to kill me.”

“I could do the same.”

“But you won't.”

“I won't?” Villanelle arches a brow, intrigued by the confidence in Eve's voice. The woman turns her, smiling lightly.

“You won't. Weren't you going to seduce me?”

Yes, that had been the goal. But now....now should it even still be a goal?

So much had changed. And yet nothing had changed at all.

“I was,” she says, slowly blinking.

“Seems like you haven't,” Eve says coyly. And oh, is she playing with her? Villanelle's own smile gets very cocky too. Their relationship is taking a new turn and while it's all uncertain, Villanelle finds she doesn't mind it.

“I am going to make you so bad, Eve. Would you like that?”

Eve blinked. She was entirely too calm when she said this, “You couldn't even if you tried.”

Villanelle sat back, licking her lips slowly. “Is that a challenge?”

Eve stared at her unwavering a moment, before she answered. “No. It's a threat.”

Villanelle's eyebrows went up, as excitement filled her. Oh, this was even better! She leaned in, “then let's make a bet. I bet I can make you into a very naughty girl, Eve, even more so than you already are. In a months time.”

“And I bet it won't work. I bet I can make you, into a better person.”

Villanelle laughed at this but Eve's expression did not change. Her laughter cut off. “Oh, you're serious?”

“Very.”

“I'm a demon, Eve. You can't make us into better people. We're not people!”

“No, but you once were,” Eve said slowly as if explaining something to a child. “And as such, you know about morals. You used to know what was right or wrong, and you still remember it. You weren't born a monster.”

Villanelle's easy smile drops from her lips. “I was a very bad person when I was a human, Eve. I wasn't a very nice person. I got the job of tormenting others, because that's how evil I was.”

“Or is that what they want you to think?” Eve said, resolution unflappable.

Now Villanelle is confused, and she can also feel the first vestiges of panic inside her beginning to creep up. “What?”

“You said you don't have your memories of your past life. But is it possible that you weren't actually a bad person? You could have been a psychopath but that doesn't mean you killed anyone. You could have just been an angry person. I've never heard of an Oksana that did terrible things in Russia. Seriously, they're demons. They could all be lying to you about this.”

No sooner does Eve finish this than Villanelle slams a fist on the coffee table, startling Eve. “That is wrong! You are the liar!” rips from her throat and she stands up. Then, chest heaving with emotion as she glares down at Eve, she leaves.

* * *

Eve goes back to work on Monday as if nothing strange has happened at all. It feels freeing, to admit that she is an angel. A fallen angel at that too. All this time she's been pretending to be human, to be dull and powerless. And it had tricked Villanelle.

It had been fun to see her fail over and over again on her mission but somewhere along the way Eve could not hide the fact that she cared for her. She wondered, what happened now? Villanelle had finally outwardly promised to seduce her. And Eve had promised to turn Villanelle good.

There were things Villanelle did not know that Eve did. That she had long known. For decades, even centuries. Did she dare to say it?

Dare to speak the truth?

Would trying to turn Villanelle be a foolish goal? After all, if Eve herself could not have remained good, then what was the point of trying to turn someone evil into good. But....she owed it to Villanelle to try. After all, it was Eve's fault things had ended up this way. So many things were her fault. But this was one of the things she regretted most.

And now, only time would tell what would come of their relationship. Eve knew what she wanted, had always wanted from it. And surely, wasn't it sheer dumb luck or coincidence or maybe it was a cruelly planned fate, to have the two of them facing each other down once more?

And Villanelle had no idea of it. Of who they had both once been.


End file.
